


CSI: Hawaii

by Fleppy85



Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:21:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 56,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24990736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fleppy85/pseuds/Fleppy85
Summary: Sara and Sofia exchange the desert for the beach and go to Hawaii. Their sometimes complicated relationship becomes a friendship and with the new job, new friends and new challenges, their relationship also changes a lot
Relationships: Sofia Curtis/Sara Sidle
Kudos: 1





	CSI: Hawaii

From CSI Las Vegas…

“Welcome back, Detective Holiday.” Sofia knew there would be some more comment, she had already most of them when she started her shift an hour ago.   
“Funny, haven’t heard that one, Sidle.”   
“Sounds like the good mood is still on vacation. What do you have for me, Detective?”  
“A trophy for the funniest joke of the last- let me have a look – five minutes and a dead body. In case you’re done with your jokes you could have a look at it and the surroundings. Otherwise you can waste your and my time with more jokes and give the killer more time to escape. What’s your pick?”  
“Gosh, you have a mood.” Sara took her kit and walked past Sofia into the house. Two months of beach, sun and summer and Sofia was in a mood like somebody had forced her to stay a year in hell. Not Sara’s problem. Her problem was right in front of her. A dead body, male, approximate thirty years, gunshot wound to the chest and one to the head. Execution style. A little souvenir from a gang? A wanna be mobster? Nothing was impossible in Vegas.   
“Hey David.”  
“Hello Sara, how are you?”  
“Better than he is. Which shot was first?”  
“First to the chest and to be sure he’s really dead he got the one to the head. Looks like a .38 I can tell you more after the autopsy.”  
Sara took some photos of the body and the room.   
“Are you here all by yourself?” David asked.   
“Yeah, Greg will come later, it’s a busy night.”  
“Tell me about it. Doc Robbins is out too, we’ve five death bodies so far. Two of mine also died from a gunshot to the chest and got the additional one to the head. Do you think it’s one killer or a gang?”  
“Depends on TOD.”  
“This one died two hours ago, fits the schedule, the other two died three and four hours ago. One per hour, sounds like a mission to me.”  
“A deadly mission.   
A deadly mission. She hoped the killer or killers had a schedule, a short one, and were done by now. With these information about all the other bodies it didn’t surprise her when she got a call that Greg wouldn’t help her. He had another case, another body.   
“Nobody saw or heard anything.”   
Sara hadn’t heard Sofia returning and flinched when the blonde spoke.  
“Don’t sneak up on me.”  
“Pay attention to your surroundings and you hear when somebody walks up the stairs. We don’t have time for dreams. There’s a killer on the loose. Or more than one, who knows?”  
Pay attention and don’t dream? What was wrong with the detective? This kind of attitude was new, this wasn’t the Sofia knew.  
“Listen up Detective Curtis, I’ve no idea what has bitten you but if you have a problem with me, your job, the case or anything else say it now or leave me alone with your mood. I’m not interested in having you snapping at me for no reason. Say what you have to say, stay professional or shut up and swallow it.” The eyes of the investigator met the blue eyes of the detective and stayed on them.  
“I go on canvassing. Will you work alone?”   
“Yes. Greg won’t come, there was another body. Somebody keeps us busy this night.”   
“Not only this night. If I get something useful I give you a call.” Said and left the room. So much for saying what was wrong. It wasn’t like Sara was anxious to hear what bothered Sofia, all she wanted was doing her job without a moody detective standing behind her. The time of snapping and bitching was long over- at least Sara thought that.   
Shifting her attention back to the room she was processing she pushed the thoughts of Sofia away. No time for that. She had to work the scene and in this case the scene was a two story building, a garden and if one of the officers found something that might be case related in the neighborhood, it was her crime scene too. A lot of work to do for only one person. 

“Wow, is this the line up of the death?” Sara shook her head in disbelieve there were six bodies lined up next to each other. All with two gun shot wounds.   
“There are more out there.” Doc Robbins said in a matter of fact voice.  
“Where? I didn’t see them.”   
“You haven’t found them yet.”   
“How cam you know there are more?”   
“From left to right: 8pm, 9pm, 11pm, 1am, 2am, 4am. Call me suspicious but I’ve the feeling 10pm, midnight and 3am are still out somewhere. Not to mention possible 7pm, 5am and I’m sure you get the picture.”   
“I do.” Sara had to swallow. Somebody was serious about killing every hour. And like Doc Robbins said, they couldn’t be sure that John Doe 8pm was the first and John Doe 4am the last one. “Scary.”  
“Yours is 1 am, isn’t it?”   
“Yes.”  
“The first shot to the chest killed him, he got the second for whatever reasons. Its a .38, I removed two bullets, sent them already to Bobby. No GSR, it wasn’t a close ranged shot. Before you ask, all the other victims died the same way.”  
“Okay. And all of them are John Does?”   
“Yes. So far.”   
“Crazy. My John Doe isn’t the owner of the house we found him in. The house belongs to a couple that is since four weeks in Alaska on holidays. We sent them a photo of the man, they didn’t recognize them and are on their way back home.”   
“Not the way you want your holidays to end.”   
“No. I assume you need some time for autopsy with all these bodies lined up. Can you give me a call when you found something?”   
“Sure.”   
Sara left the morgue and went back to the lab. Six dead bodies and still counting. She hoped they weren’t dealing with a serial killer. But what else could it be? Six dead bodies, they were all killed the same way, it had to be serial killer. Or more than one killer and they stuck to the time line for a reason she couldn’t figure out yet.   
“Hey, I have to cancel our date.” Greg greeted her, obviously stressed out.  
“We have a date?” Why didn’t she know of it? This information was new to her.  
“Breakfast date. Can t make it, I’ve a John Doe.”  
“With two gun shot wounds. One to the chest, that killed him and one to the head.”  
“Yes.” He furrowed her brows. “How do you know?”  
“I’ve the same John Doe. It appears like somebody killed people every hour. The same way all the time and there might be still some out.”  
“That’s scary.”  
“Tell me about it. I need to get back to the scene, I processed only the room he was found in and garden and have the rest of the house to do. The next time you decide we have breakfast tell me earlier.”  
“Sara it s Friday.” They always had breakfast together on a Friday morning, their own little tradition to lighten up their work. How could she forget?  
“Oh? Already?” Usually she forgot the dates now she started to forget the days as well. That wasn’t good. A sign of too much work. Unfortunately it didn’t look like work would slow down any time soon.  
“Yes. Not that it matters because we’ll work the whole weekend.”  
“Like we did last week and the week before and before and before.” When exactly was her last day off? Two months ago? And two days off in a row? Last year? No holidays, a lot of overtime, the city was crazy this year. It seemed like people came from all over the world to Las Vegas to get killed or kill somebody. Over six plus X bodies in a row for one night was even for their standards much.   
“The city never sleeps.”  
“Neither do we.”  
He stopped and looked at her. “Are you all right?”  
“Tired. And I need to go back to scene.”  
“I d like to invite you to dinner but I’ve no idea when I get home and have to be back here. We talk as soon as we get some air?”  
“Deal.” A conversation with Greg was the best thing she could do these days. Her friend was a reason why she managed to get to work every day even when she was tired. Even sick and tired of the job sometimes.   
“Later.”  
“Later Greggo.” Time to get back to her car and drive back to the crime scene. If she managed she could stop somewhere for a minute, get a coffee and something to eat. As soon as she was at the house she was stuck for a few hours. Without coffee and food.

Earthquakes usually didn’t happen in Vegas and most times houses didn’t spin around like a carousel. Right now Sara had the feeling both happened to her and the house she was in. The carpet trembled, the cabinet on the other side of the room looked like it was under water and she had the feeling her head was moving in circles on her neck. Something was wrong with her.   
Suddenly a hand grabbed her shoulder and steadied her a bit.   
“You should take a break.”  
Sofia. Sara wasn’t sure if the detective caught her or simply tried to scare her again. Or tried to talk to her and Sara was too much lost in her spinning world.   
“No time, I’ve the entire ground story to process.”  
“Sara, it s an secured house, nobody can get in or out and you’ve been working since fourteen hours.”  
“Since when do you care?” First Sofia was a bitch and now she cared? Was this a kind of brainwashing?  
“Since you might mess up my crime scene.”  
Now that sounded more like the Sofia of last night.   
“Why don t you put on some gloves and work the scene yourself, Acting Supervisor Curtis? Or did you forget everything?”  
“That s what I’ve a CSI for. Do your job, do you right and everything is fine.”  
“Leave my crime scene and annoy some neighbors, will you?”  
“I m done with my work.”  
“Good for you. Bye. Take your bad mood with you.”  
“You need a break. I want you to go home.”   
“Thank god its not your decision what I do.”  
Sofia stared at Sara for a moment before she pulled her cell phone out of the pocket. A few seconds later she started talking: “Grissom, its Sofia. I need you to tell your CSI on my scene she needs a break after fourteen hours. I don’t want her messing up the scene because she can hardly keep her eyes open.”  
This couldn’t be real. With wide open eyes and an open mouth Sara stared at the blonde who handed her phone to Sara.   
“Sara, it s Grissom. Go home, you were supposed to go home two hours ago.”  
“You re still in the lab too.”  
“That s not the same, Sara.”  
“It fucking is.” She switched off the phone and almost threw it on the ground. He sent her home. Because this moody stupid bitch of a police detective asked him to do so. Great. Precious. She didn’t want to think about why he did what she wanted, didn’t want to waste another though to it and she did it anyway. Ignoring his demand was one way to handle the situation, not the best because when she ignored an order from her supervisor and Ecklie got this information somehow - and Sofia was a good source for Ecklie - she was in trouble. Without Grissom by her side.   
She dropped the phone on the floor, started packing her kit and the evidence she had found, not looking at the blonde.   
“It s better.”  
“Why don t you start your own talk show when you know what s better for other people?” Sara snapped, grabbed her stuff and left the room. A huge crime scene, a killer on the loose and the detective felt like playing Oprah Winfrey. What did she do wrong to deserve all this? 

Because she had only six hours of sleep Sara didn’t call Greg for a dinner, ate an apple on her way to the lab and put a yogurt in the fridge in the break room for later. There was no time for more food, she had a case to close. To get the newest information about her dead body her first stop was the morgue where she found not only the six dead bodies of the last night but also four more. All killed with the same M.O..  
“This looks like war.”  
“This looks sad. Ten perfectly healthy young man between twenty and thirty-five, all could be still alive if they hadn’t been killed.” Doc Robbins handed Sara a folder. “I sent you the results of the autopsy to your email account, these are the results of the other bodies You will see they were all killed the same way, the same caliber.”   
“I’ll see Bobby about the bullets. Where they all killed every hour?”   
“Yes. And no, there weren’t new ones so far. Yesterday he or they killed between 8t pm and 5 am, lets hope he or they wont start tonight again.”   
“Hopefully. Thanks Doc.” She left the morgue and met Greg and Cath in one of the layout rooms.  
“Which one of the John Does is yours?”   
“2 am.”  
“9 pm. Cath put her crime scene photos on the table. “I read the reports of all ten vics, all of them were killed in houses that belonged to people who weren’t in town. All ten carried no ID and so far none has been reported missing. Tox came back clean for all of them.”   
“I spoke to Doc Robbins a moment ago and he said they would be still alive if they hadn’t been killed. Did Bobby find anything on the gun?”  
“No. Did one of you find prints at the scene?”  
“No.” Sara shook her head.  
“No. No fingerprint, no shoeprint, nothing that could lead me to the killer. There was hardly any evidence at all. The house looked like any other house, it was clean and if there hadn’t been the body on the floor it wouldn’t be special at all.”  
“My body was on a stone floor.” Sara compared her photos with Cath s. “Yours too. Greg?”   
“Yes. That s smart, they leave less traces on the stone floor. It’s dry, you don t carry a boot print inside and if you make a little mess you can clean it up. Although there was no blood at my scene. I checked.”  
“Only the little blood pool from the wounds, nothing that looked out of place.”   
“Why does the killer or killers know which house is empty? You can t just drive by, look which is house is dark and kill a man in there.”  
“And why doesn’t fight the vics back? There are no defensive wounds. Is this a kind of cult?”   
“Could be. But usually they kill themselves at the same place and not all over the city.”   
“Maybe the destinations are a symbol. When we draw a line there could appear a symbol.” Greg got a map of the city and made little crosses where all the bodies were found.   
“Who do you tell when you go on holidays? Where you go, how long you will be there?” Sara asked Cath.   
“My mom.”  
“Anybody else?”  
“You guys. The paper boy so he won t bring the paper, Lindsey tells her friends. Do you think all these people have one person in common?”  
“Somebody pulled the trigger of the same gun ten times last night. This isn’t a coincidence.”   
“The crime scenes are all over the city, they can t have the same paper boy.” Greg connected the crime scenes and got nothing that came close to any kind of symbol.   
“I run a check on what they could have common when I m back. It s time to go back to my crime scene. Sara checked her watch. There were a few more hours of processing waiting for her, maybe the solution was there and she only had to go there, collect it and solve the case. Something things are easy. Most times they weren’t. 

“Coffee?”  
Sara turned. Sofia leant on the door frame to the layout room Sara worked in since three hours. All the evidence from the house was in the lab, so far she hadn’t found anything that gave her a tiny spark of hope to solve the case soon. On the bright side, there weren’t any new bodies that belonged to her case. Or they hadn’t been discovered yet.   
She decided to ignore the possible offer or question. “Do you have more bodies? More like the case I work on?”  
“No. We had one this night but it wasn’t related to the ten cases last night.”  
“Any suspects?”  
“No. Nothing. I talked to the first house owner, they don t know the victim, any of the victims and gave me a list of people who knew they were away. Maybe we get something this way.”  
“I want to make a list like this with the information we have so far later. When I let the computer check it didn’t find anything all ten have in common; besides COD.”  
“What about the evidence you have on the table?”  
“Nothing. How can one or more killer leave no evidence? The only thing I found was GSR on the floor. I know where the killer stood when he pulled the trigger, that s it. The area where he was is clean. No bleach clean but clean like a housewife just swept the floor.”  
“What are you working on?”  
“The clean evidence? Why? Wanna tell me to work faster?” All these questions weren’t ask for no reason. Sofia had something on her mind and Sara wanted to know what it was.   
“No.” Sofia sighed. “I want to invite you to a coffee.”  
“Why?” Suspicious was an understatement what the brunette felt right now.   
“Because I wasn’t nice to you yesterday. So if you have the time or can make it, I d like to apologize and buy you a coffee.”  
Too easy. Too much not Sofia. There had to be a catch.   
“The case won t solve itself.”  
“I won t tell you to stop working because you have been working for a long time and need a break. All I do is offering you a coffee and an apology. If you take it, it would be nice, if not I won t be mad or take it personal - even it is.”  
Was it personal? Somehow it was. If I had been Greg who asked her to join him for a coffee she had agreed without hesitation. Was it right to dismiss this offer of peace? Or was she acting childish? Probably.   
“Give me five minutes to finish this piece, okay?”   
“No problem. Thanks.” Sofia smiled and left.   
A coffee with Sofia. A few hours ago she had preferred to cut off her legs than spending time with the blonde. Private time. But she had been working since twelve hours and felt, she needed a break. Or stop working for today.   
“Where would you like to go?”  
“Starbucks.” If she got an invitation Sara wanted a grande coffee and a slice of cake.   
“In that case I’ll change from coffee to hot chocolate.” Sofia smiled. “Shall we take the one around the corner or another one further away without cops waltzing in and out every five minutes. You know we don’t have anything else to do than drinking coffee and eating donuts.”   
”I noticed something like that.” Sara smirked. She had never seen the blonde with a donut at a crime scene. Maybe she used her toothpick instead of a donut. After all Sofia was far away from looking like a donut herself.   
“The one five blocks down? Or is that the wrong way for you?”  
“No, that’s fine. I see you there.” Sara stow her kit in the trunk of her car and followed the car of the detective. Somehow it felt unreal. Meeting Sofia for a coffee after work. Strange. Why did the blonde insist on it? Why was it important to her to apologize? Okay, when you snap at a college for no reason you apologized for your misbehavior. But their relationship wasn’t like it was highest priority for them what the other one thought, felt. They could work together, not more and not less.   
With their coffee, cake and hot chocolate they sat down at a little table.   
“Now I think is a good time to apologize for my behavior last night.” Sofia started.   
“To be honest I’d prefer an explanation. That wasn’t you last night.”  
“I know, I’m sorry. It was…it was my first night back in Vegas and you have no idea how many stupid comments I heard about being on holidays for two months, having two months of doing nothing but getting paid for it. Yes I was gone for two months, yes Honolulu is a great place and reminds everybody of holidays but I worked there. Eight hours a day, public holidays and weekends. They don’t pull so many double shifts like we do, they don’t have so many crimes but they do work. I did work.”  
“How was it? The work in Honolulu?”  
“Great. They’ve another attitude, work different. It’s not like they work less but they don’t overwork themselves. And of course there’s the point of having the beach around. I worked days and could go to the beach in the evening, watch the sunset or go for a swim.”  
“I can imagine that’s great. Working the hours you’re supposed to work and not twice as much, having the beach around and come home in the evening, sleep during the night. Did you have some weekends off?”  
“Yes. I had more weekends off than I have here in Vegas. When was your last weekend off?”  
“Last year?”  
“It’s June, that’s bad Sara.”  
“Yes. Tell me how to change it.”  
“You can’t.”  
“With this serial killer or serial killers on the loose there’ll be more than enough work.” Sara sighed. The thought of all the work that laid ahead tired her even more out. “Sometimes I’m tired of being a CSI.”  
“Don’t you love your job? You always seem to be so much into your job.”  
“I do love my job but I’m burned out. I need a break, a longer break and I’m afraid I won’t get it any time soon. Or at all.” Hearing these words scared her. Mostly because they were honest, she meant every word she said. When you say out things you tried for a long time not to see, they’re there, they can scare you. Makes them real. Makes the problem real.   
“Why don’t you take a few days off? Or two weeks? Go on vacation.”  
“Because we’re already under-staffed. Ecklie will never allow two weeks off.”  
“Sooner or later your body will stop you. You know that as much as I do.”  
“Any solution?”  
“Can’t talk for you.”  
“What’s the solution for yourself?”  
“Nothing final.”  
“A plan?”  
“Maybe.” Sofia smiled.   
“But you don’t want to share it with me.”  
“Unless it’s not in dry docks it’s not smart to talk about it.”  
Sara cocked her head. “Are you still in contact with Honolulu?”  
“I worked two months with them.”  
“That’s a yes. They offered you to stay.”  
“Why would they?”  
“Because you’re a damn good detective when you’re not a moody bitch. A detective from Vegas, who worked as an Acting Supervisor in the best crime lap of the country, fits in the team, every boss would offer you to stay.”  
“Thanks.” Sofia’s smile was wide. That was the first time that Sara said something nice about her, straight into her face.   
“Maybe moving into another city could get the joy of work back.” Sara said more to herself than to Sofia. It wasn’t the job exactly she was sick and tired of, it were the hours she had to work, the overtime, missing weekends and holidays. Moving to a quieter city could give her more time for herself, bring her joy back.   
“I’m sure they could use a great CSI. Want me to as them for you?”  
“No. I can apply for my job alone. I got the job here because Grissom wanted me here, the next job I take I get because of me.”  
“Grissom asked you to come here because you’re a great CSI. We know Grissom, he wants it perfect, wants the best he can have. You were exactly the one he wanted. I read up on the case, their colleague, Holly, died. He trusted you to be the best choice, to get the team back on the road.”  
“Thanks.” What happened to them? Why were they making compliments to each other? They meet once out of work and we friendly. It felt good. 

When Sara came back to the lab she checked first if there were any more bodies that could be related to her case. No more victims with two gun shots wounds. She went straight back to her evidence and came up with nothing.   
“What did you find?” Greg handed her a cup of coffee.   
“Nothing. You?”  
“Nada. Who leaves no traces?”  
“Somebody who knows what we’re looking for, knows how to kill somebody without leaving behind what we need.”  
“There must be something, everybody leaves traces, there is no perfect crime. When you think you did the perfect crime the investigator who worked your case weren’t not good enough. It’s impossible to kill ten people and leave nothing behind.” Sara didn’t want to accept that somebody was smarter than all of them together. Ten dead bodies. He or they had to make a mistake somewhere. There was no other way.  
“What do you want to do?”  
“I want you to go to my crime scene, take a look at it while I do the same with yours. Most times we work with two people, this way one sees what the other overlooks. I don’t say you didn’t do your job…”  
“You want a pair of fresh eyes for your scene and offer your eyes for mine. Deal. We have nothing to lose, do we?”  
“No. Two hours?”  
“Okay. We meet in two and a half hours at the diner around the corner. This way we get something to eat too.”  
“I meet your there.” Sara threw the keys to the house to Greg. Like he said, they had nothing to lose. 

“What’s that?” Sara looked at the evidence bag next to Greg.   
“That’s a business card.”  
“What for?”  
“Not what for, from who. A Reverent Candice. He’s the reverent of the Church of Freedom for Mind and Soul.”  
“Why did you take it?”  
“Because I found the same card at my crime scene. I don’t know about your house owner but mine were Catholic, I doubt they asked for the card. When we’re back at the lab I want to check out this reverent and his church.”  
“You’re good, Greg. The student really became a master. Where was the card.”  
“Bulletin board. Under a few other notes. You find the most amazing things on these boards.”  
“Looks like. I got nothing.”  
“That’s all right, the next case we work together and I teach you where to find evidence.” He grinned.   
“You get smug.”  
“No, I get better and better. And I impressed you.”  
“You did.”  
“And you look tired. Still.”  
“We all look tired.”  
“You need a day off. Or two.”  
“It’s not done with a day or two.”  
“Tell Grissom.”  
“He can’t let me go. We’re under-staffed. If I take a week off, go somewhere else and one of you guys get ill, the rest can’t handle all the cases. I can’t go Greg, I just can’t.” No matter how stupid it was to stay.   
“They’re looking for new staff.”  
“They should hurry. If our serial killer starts another round we’ve twenty bodies from him plus all the bodies we get in from other killers.”  
“Do you want to get back to the lab?” They hadn’t finish their snack, the coffee mug was still half full.   
“Yes.” She couldn’t sit here while they might have the evidence they were looking for. Every minute they sat here was another minute for the killer. To kill somebody else, vanish into another country. 

“Do you know Sergeant Anthony Marcus?” Greg asked Sara when he entered the room with a folder in his hands.   
“No, does he work the case with you?”  
“Kind of. Sergeant Anthony Marcus worked at LVPD and the CSI lab ten years ago. He’s a scientist who turned to police and changed two years ago again. Now he works in a little house and on the streets.”  
“Why is that relevant?”  
“Reverent Candice is what he calls himself. I talked a few cops and apparently did Candice see the light two years ago. The light told him to give up his job and help other people to see the light too. He quit the job and started his own church. I checked his file, he was a damn good cop and CSI. He knows who to leave little to no trace.”  
“Church of Freedom for Mind and Soul, wasn’t it?” Sara asked.  
“Yes.”  
“Where do you find mind and soul?”  
“In a person.”  
“Yes, the mind is in the head and the soul is connected to a heart…”  
“Exactly the two places the killer shot his victims. You’re good, Sara.”  
“You found him, Greg.” And she couldn’t deny she felt a kind of proud. He was so bright and she had been his coach most times and he proved he was more than her best friend who went CSI to see more than the lab, he was a damn good CSI. In a few years he could be the best she ever worked with.   
“I couldn’t find much about his church, an address, a few photos. Interestingly the church is strictly men only. Women can’t see the light, they need to be guided by their man.”  
“Women, the helpless and stupid creatures.”  
“No, you’re only not blessed to see the light. That’s why Brass and me will have a look at the church and the Reverent. I’d love to take you with me but you can’t see the light and maybe the light is important.”  
She narrowed her eyes and gave him an evil look.   
“Don’t take it personal.”  
“Get lost!”   
He laughed and started leaving the room.  
“Greg?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Be careful. If he is the killer, he has no problems shooting someone.”  
“I put on my vest and let Brass walk in first.”  
“I want both of you back here. Healthy.”  
“We do our best. See you later.”  
There he went, her puppy. It didn’t feel good going him to a man, who might have killed ten people in one night. As a former cop he knew the police work, he knew what they did and when. Also he had training in shooting and knew how to use his weapon. All points that gave her a sick feeling in the stomach when she let Greg go. 

“Is he our suspect?” Sofia joined Sara behind the one way mirror.   
“Yeah.” She watched Greg and Brass talking to Reverent Candice. “I worked with him.”  
“Me too. He was a good cop.”  
“He was a good CSI too, knows both sides. So far he didn’t say a single work they could use against him.”  
“With all these years working for the department he knows the tricks. Hopefully he is nothing more than a harmless guy who lives in his own fantasy world.”  
“He takes this fantasy world very serious. I looked at his web page, he saw the light and he’s serious about it. And everybody who rejects the spirit is the enemy.”  
“If these men were enemies they should have fought back. You said there were no defensive wounds. How does the Reverent get them to the house and let him shot them with no fight? No drugs, no signs of restrains.”  
“We both know there are things you don’t find in the system. All he needs is a drug that makes the victims temporally paralyzed, he carries them into the houses and shoots them.” Sara looked at the man. He was over six feet tall, in very good sharp and looked like he could carry a man. With the right dose he could just lead them into the house.   
“He knows how to manipulate alarm systems, knows how to open doors. What about GSR?”  
“Positive. When Greg and Brass came to his house, he was shooting cans. Apparently he wanted to keep his skills. Nick and Cath are in the house, looking for the murder weapon or anything else that connects him to the scene.”  
“What about the business card?”  
“He said he gives them away to people he sees on the street, sometimes knocks on some doors. He can see if somebody is blessed to see the light too and to all these people he hands his card out. We’re talking about a hundred people each day. He is in malls, The Strip, playgrounds. Children can see the light too, even girls. They lose this ability when they grow older but as a child they can see it because at that time they’re pure.”  
“Pure?”  
“Yes.”  
“Sounds more like child abuse.” Sofia hated to think these things about her former colleague. She had worked a few cases with Sergeant Marcus and got to know him as a very thoroughly man who saw his job as his destiny. The best prerequisite for a cult serial killer.   
“When you worked with him, did he say anything about you weren’t as good as your male colleagues because you’re a woman?”  
“No. Why?”  
“According to his church, women can’t see the light. I was wondering if he had the feeling women can’t do things men can before.”  
“I never had any problems with him and I can’t recall that any female officer complained about him. You like him for the killings?”  
“The evidence say he’s a suspect with the necessary skills. Personally I hope it wasn’t a former cop and CSI who put ten people in one night into the morgue.”  
“All these crap about the light and the church, I want to have a look into his medical records. This sounds like schizophrenia to me.” For the second time within a minute Sofia saw how Sara flinched a bit. It was barely visible for the trained eye but it was there.   
“You can’t look into them.”  
“I can research if there was evidence he has this disorder. Medicine, prescription, whatever. Cath and Nick are in the house, I’ll join them. What about you?”  
“I stay here and listen.”  
“Okay…are you all right?”  
“Still tired.”  
“You need some time off Sara, seriously. Don’t wait until it’s too late.” Sofia placed her hand for a beat on Sara’s shoulder and left. Was it only the case and the work that made the brunette behave strange? Or was there something else? The chances that Sara told her were small. 

“We searched his house, his church, his car, came up with nothing and I’m still sure this bastard it the killer.” Cath grumbled.   
“He’s perfect for it. And he had this smile, like we can’t do anything to get him. He’s smarter than we are.”  
“He’s with God.” Grissom entered the room.  
“God?” Sara’s voice was full of mock. “If there’s a God he wouldn’t support killer.”  
“Maybe the killer isn’t a killer in his religion.”  
“A dead person is a dead person. That should be the same in every cult.” In Sara’s eyes a religion wasn’t different from a cult. They were all after the money of people, wanted to use them for whatever they had in mind.   
“When you don’t believe in the right things you might be not a human.”  
“BS.”  
“He lives in his universe and there’s nothing of the cop left I used to know.” Grissom had been with Sara for a while, watching Brass and Greg interrogating the suspect.   
“We will put him behind bars of our universe.”  
“First we need some evidence.”  
“He doesn’t have an alibi. Being in your church and praying alone isn’t one. As long as God doesn’t come down from heaven, sits down in the witness stand, the Reverent has no alibi.”   
“In dubio pro reo.”  
Sara rolled her eyes. She knew this too.   
Grissom’s cell phone rang. He listened quietly, kept his face straight and hung up the phone.   
“We have a 419 in Henderson, empty house, a gunshot victim, male mid twenties, one shot to the chest, one to the head. Sounds familiar?”  
“Are you serious?” Cath asked in disbelieve.   
“Fresh kill, very likely while we had the Reverent with us.”  
“Impossible.”  
“You’re free to go and see it for yourself. Your case, Cath.”  
“Great.”  
“Don’t worry if this isn’t a copy cat there’ll be a body for everybody. I call Brass so he can keep an eye on the Reverent. The rest of you, get prepared.”  
Sara sighed and went back to the locker room. When she had to pull another double she wanted some fresh clothes and a shower first. With wet hair she sat down on the bench.   
“Need a boost?” Sofia came with a coffee and a donut in.   
“Oh yeah, thanks.” Sugar and caffeine. The best things in life to live on.   
“You’re welcome. What did you heard about the gunshot vic?”  
“Looks like one of our ten.”  
“Reverent Candice was with Greg and Brass?”  
“Probably. David has to confirm TOD. What do you think?”  
“I think Candice is our suspect.”  
“How can he be the suspect when we have another body while he was with us?”  
“Churches and religion aren’t exactly my field of expertise but don’t Reverent have some helper? Some server?”  
“You mean he instructed a server to kill this man? He was with us, the best alibi you can ask for.”  
“Exactly. Tell me Detective, you know both sides of the fence, the CSI and police side, how do we procedure now?”  
“It’s the same side of the fence, Investigator Sidle. Do you want to talk to somebody? His neighbors?”  
“I thought more of the neighbors of the house owner. He told us he gives his card to a lot of people, I believe he walks from door to door, tries to catch some money.”  
“Souls.” Sofia chuckled.   
“Whatever. Maybe they didn’t keep the card but they might recall him. We know the house owner all got the cards on different days, apparently he met them randomly, I believe he has a system.”  
“Why don’t we talk to the owner again, let them recall their meeting. All of them must have told him at some point they were out of town. The shock has settled, memory is back.”  
“Tired of waiting for your next body?”  
“I doubt there’ll be another one like the ten. And I’m sure Cath will find out very soon that the scene she works on now is different than the others. No matter how good you instruct somebody, it’s always different from how it is when you do it yourself.”

“Circumstantial, only circumstantial. We can’t lock him up with only circumstantial evidence. I hate this case!” Sara kicked the front tire of her car.   
“Temper.”  
“Screw temper!”  
“He’s under surveillance.”  
“While his server walks around and can kill.”  
“We got a few names of possible server, they’re all on radio and will get interrogated. We are a big step closer to get him behind bars.”  
“Closer to solve a case isn’t solved a case. I want this over.”  
“Sara.” Sofia’s voice was soft. “We all do our best. Why don’t we drive to a diner, have something to eat and go home?”  
“Eating and sleeping don’t help catching killer.”  
“Yes it does. Only a rested investigator can see evidence, work scenes and think smarter as a killer. Especially when the killer is a former cop/CSI.”  
No matter how much Sara wanted to argue, disagree, she knew Sofia was right. Their killer was highly skilled and intelligent. And she felt how tired she was, that she had problems to concentrate on her work. This way it was likely she made a mistake, didn’t see a little detail, that could be the case breaker.   
“I can use some food for my head. There’s a salad bar down the road, do you want to join me?” Why did she ask Sofia and not Greg? Because the blonde was here and her friend was long gone home, sound asleep, like she should be.   
“Sure. I follow you.” With a smile Sofia walked to her car. Sara asked her for some private time. It seems like her apology had been a good decision. She had been wrong, had behaved like an idiot and sometimes it helped when admitted to it.   
“How much sleep did you get?” Sofia asked after they sat down with their salad and juice.   
“A little bit.”  
“Less than four hours? That’s what I had.”  
“Three hours something.”  
“Is that your average sleep time or even not much for you?”  
“Usually I sleep a little bit more.” Sara smiled a bit. She knew she was known as the one who never slept. Maybe she slept less than her colleagues but she needed some sleep. At least five hours.  
“It’s hard to relax when you’re involved in a case. So many things on your mind, missing evidence, rules you have to stick to, no matter how stupid they seem to be. Knowing there’s a killer outside and you can’t catch him. Drives me nuts. And when you find at least a kind of sleep your pager goes off and you have to come in early.  
Sometimes the cases follow me in my dreams. I don’t know why, there was a time when I could go home and left work behind.” The blonde spoke more to herself than to Sara, her blue eyes turned darker and sadly. “You sleep poor, you dream bad, you miss family appointments, forget to call friends on their birthday, lose your partner because you’re a pain in the ass when it comes to being reliable and your thoughts circle around cases all the time. Our job is great, it’s important, fascinating but it destroys any kind of private life. No wonder people who work in law enforcement are divorced or end up being single very fast. Nobody wants to put up with us.”  
First Sara wanted to use a mocking tone and ask the detective if she had been dumped lately then she thought about it. That was a mean and unnecessary question. She could do better than that.   
“I think the best partner for somebody who works law enforcement is somebody who works the same job. This way your partner knows exactly what he or she’s dealing with. You can explain your cop husband why you have to pull a double while he knows you understand that he must leave the best in the middle of the night.  
Probably we’re all better off alone anyway.”  
“Perhaps. Knowing this doesn’t change the fact that you’re lonely sometimes and wonder if the job is worth having no own life.”  
“Do you think of quitting, Sofia?”  
“No.”  
“Sounds like it.”  
“I think of a change, have to figure out what kind of change. When I changed from CSI to detective it gave me a boost. Another boost would be nice.”  
“Wanna come back to the lab?”  
“No. I want to be a Lieutenant.”   
“Climbing up the ladder.”  
“Yes. If I have to give up my personal life they can at least pay me better.”  
“You said they had more moderately hours in Honolulu, what keeps you from going back there?”  
“The fact I don’t know somebody there. Of course I met new people and it was fun, but being somewhere far away from your hometown, without somebody who knows your hometown, knows a bit of your past, that’s nothing for me.”  
“Means you’ll be stuck in Vegas, stuck in work. No ocean beach around.”  
“Will you stop rubbing salt in my wound?” Sofia grumbled. “I know it’s stupid but at the moment I can’t act smart. So what? Am I not allowed to act stupid?”  
“Of course you are.” Sara said lightly. “We’re all entitled to act stupid sometimes. That’s humanly.”  
“Thanks. And sorry for getting bitchy again. I guess I need some sleep. See you tonight, try to catch some sleep yourself.”  
“I will. Thanks.”

The phone rang after five seconds of sleep – at least it felt like that to Sara. In reality she had been asleep for two hours. Not much better.   
“Come on Grissom, you can’t be serious. Let me have three hours of sleep. Please.” She groaned into the cell phone without checking the ID.  
“Stay in bed, we have him.”  
“What?”  
“We arrested Candice for killing ten people. You can sleep a few more hours.”  
“No fucking way! You got the bastard in the department?”  
“He just confessed and will be transferred into jail soon.”  
“I wanna see that!” Sara jumped out of bed. There was nothing left of her tiredness. Within five minutes she was dressed, in her car and on her way to the department. They got him. Why didn’t they call her when he got into interrogation? This was a big case, she wanted to be there when they got him. Why did all happened so fast? First they didn’t get an inch closer and out of the blue they had evidence that made him confess. Why? How?   
She ran into Sofia on her way to interrogation.  
“They have him!”  
“I know, Brass called me. I tried to reach you but you didn’t answer the phone.”  
“Sorry, I was on my way to here.” For a second she felt bad for not calling Sofia while the blonde knew how important it was for Sara to have the killer locked up and tried to call her. Why didn’t she think of calling the detective?  
“Where’s he?” They asked unison Brass, who came out of his office.  
“He’s getting booked in now.”  
“You could have waited five more minutes.” Sofia complained.  
“What for? I know you kids wanted to see him go down but we all wanted to have him booked in ASAP. He killed ten people and brought a lot of shame over the department. The press is all over it, the Sheriff mad as hell and you are both free to give some statements to the press.”  
“Yuck, no, thanks.” Sara backed off.   
“You’re the boss, you give the interviews.” Sofia said. “If the show is over I go back to bed. There are a few hours left before I’ve to be back here and I need some sleep.” The blonde turned.   
“She’s right on all of that. I want to sleep more than two hours, over four would be great too. See you later, Jim.”  
“First they’re eager, full of enthusiasm and then they want to sleep. Children.”  
Sara grinned. She hadn’t been here when they arrested Candice, it wasn’t her job to give interviews. She worked on one of his scenes, yes, but so did every CSI on her shift. And swing. They could take one of these guys. For her, there were better things to do. 

“Sara, do you have a minute?”  
“As a matter of fact I do, it’s break time. What’s up Sofia?”  
“I’ve an hypothetical question.”  
“Shoot.”  
Sofia sat on the edge of the table, considered her words for a second. “Theoretical if Grissom asks you about a colleague you worked with in San Francisco would you tell him about your colleague? Knowing your former colleague wouldn’t like it.”  
“They called you.”  
“Yes.” No need to deny the obvious thing. Asking a theoretical question that was so obvious not theoretical was stupid. And the only thing that came to Sofia’s mind when she got a phone call this morning.   
“What did you say?”  
“First I wanted to tell them you don’t want me to talk to them, then I thought that could give them the wrong impression about you so I let them tell me what you wrote and verified your application. I didn’t add anything, all I did was telling them, you didn’t lie.”  
“I knew they’d contact you. It’s natural they look for some information.”  
“Yes.” Sofia had been surprised when her former boss from Honolulu called her. He had an application from a Sara Sidle on his desk, who worked in Las Vegas with the crime lab. All he asked was if Sofia knew her.  
“What else did they ask?”  
“If I think you’d fit in there, how the weather is, when I come back for a visit, if I miss the beach.”  
“Would I fit in?”  
“They could learn a lot from you.”  
“That’s no answer.”  
“You’re not always the easiest person to work with, not the first time. After a while you get better and their gain is the LVPD’s lost.”  
“Thanks.”  
“Sorry, you said you wanted your next job without anybody helping you but I figured if I don’t answer their questions it’s bad for you.”  
“Don’t worry. Thanks.”  
Sofia waited a heart beat. “Will you go?”  
“I don’t have a letter of acception.”  
“In case you get one, will you say yes? Or is that none of my business?”  
“Can you keep the answer to yourself?”  
“Like I’ll keep the phone call between you and me.”  
“If they want me I’ll leave Vegas. I applied in five different cities, Honolulu is my favorite. I liked what you told me, it’s warm, I’ve the ocean and there’s not so many people. Vegas feels like home, I love my team…”  
“But you need a break.”  
“I need a job with less hours. I’m on my last legs, the work doesn’t stop, it’s getting more every week and I need a job with a regular work hours – or at least some free days every now and then. Plus they offer day time work, I hope when I can sleep at night I can sleep better.”  
“Worked with me. The two months on day in Honolulu worked like a miracle. Human being is made for sleeping at night, when you ignore all these years of evolution it hit back at one point.”  
“Sounds like you want your change soon.”  
“I didn’t apply anywhere.”  
“What stops you?”  
“So far I didn’t have the right reason.”  
“Somebody told me a while ago it’s better to change things than suffering from what you’ve got.”  
Sofia smiled. These were her words to Sara and the brunette was right. She should change something as well. Like Sara she slept poorly, worked too much and had barely a day off. Maybe it was the right time for a change for her now. 

“Sofia?”  
“Yeah?” Sofia stopped in the hallway. She had just closed a case, was on her way to bring her paper work to Brass and head home; after another double.   
“Look what I’ve got a few minutes ago.” The brunette handed her a sheet of paper. Instead of something case related or paper work for another case, which lowered Sofia’s mood already, it was something it made her smile.  
“Congratulation.” She hugged Sara. It was the confirmation that Sara got the job in Honolulu. There was her change.   
“Thanks. I’ll have beach, surfer and cocktails soon.”  
“Yeah. When will you start?”  
“First of October. They didn’t tell you? I was sure they’d contact you before they contact me.”  
“That wouldn’t be fair, would it?”  
“No.”  
Sofia’s cell phone rang. A smile appeared on her face. “They’re telling me now. Got a text from Honolulu.”  
“You are talking with them behind my back?”  
“Sofia! I need a minute with you.” Brass shouted.   
“Okay.” She handed her cell phone to Sara. “No secrets, no talking behind your back.” With a smile she left Sara alone and vanished in Brass’s office.   
Undeceive what to do she put the cell phone from one hand to another before she looked at the screen.   
Hey Vegas, we’ll get your CSI to Paradise. She’ll have stunning beaches and sunsets with cocktails, surfer and tropical fruits. Reminds you of better times? All you have to do is say YES and you’re here too. Captain Tropical  
Sara shook her head. There was Sofia’s chance and all she did was giving her the cell phone instead of taking the chance, sending back three letters and get a job she liked a lot. It didn’t take a doctor to see the blonde was tired out. Like Sara she worked too many doubles, accumulated too much overtime.   
“See, no talking behind your back. They told me after they let you know.”  
“Yeah. Thanks.” Sara gave the cell phone back to Sofia. “Any problems with Brass?”  
“No, all he wanted was the report so he could close the case.”  
“Time to go home?”  
“Finally. I’m not sure if I want to sleep first or have something to eat. The last…” Her cell phone rang, this time it was a incoming call, not a text message.   
“Captain Tropical, how are things going in paradise?”  
“Much better with the outlook of you being here soon.”  
“You mean CSI Sidle.”  
“No, I mean the YES you send me a minute ago. Don’t play with me.”  
“The yes?” What yes?   
“Come on, I’ve your text, it’s your phone number, don’t play dumb.”  
“I was…wait a minute…Miss Sidle! Do you have to tell me something?”  
“No.” Sara grinned.  
“No in the terms of yes?”  
“Are you telling me CSI Sidle typed that text? What’s she doing with your phone?”  
“I left it with her for a second to give my captain the paper work of the case I closed.”  
“So you aren’t coming back?” There was disappointment in his voice.   
“Beach, surfer, cocktails, sunsets versus stress, overtime, doubles and cold winters? I’m so in for a transfer. You get me the paper to my condo, I’ll sign them and if you promise me to start on first of October I quit tonight.”  
“Give me five minutes and you have all you need.”  
“You have a little bit more, I need to go home first. Thanks Captain.”  
“No, thank you, Detective.”  
Sofia put her cell away, shifting her attention back to Sara, who stood at the front door with a wide grin.   
“You answered a text for me.”  
“Says who?”  
“If I take a closer look at my cell phone I bet I’ll find your finger prints on the 9, 3 and 8 plus the send button.”  
“All you get are parts of my prints.”  
“That’s enough.”  
“Are you mad?” Sara’s voice became serious.  
“Because you made the decision I want to leave Vegas? Because you told me former boss I want my old job back without asking me? Because you made me look like an idiot when he called? You so have to pay my lunch now, Sara.” Sofia grinned.   
“Deal.”  
“I’ve to say, I’m really surprised you want me in Honolulu too.”  
“Yeah you know, you’re a smug pain in the ass but at least I know there’s one cop who knows how to handle evidence.” Sara smirked. Moving to a new city, starting a new job, getting to know new people, all these things could be easier when you have somebody with you, you know and who knows the place a bit. After all Sofia had been right when she said, Sara was a little bit complicated when she came somewhere the first time. And she didn’t need another rough start like she had in Vegas. This time everything was supposed to be easy and relaxed. She needed a surfboard! 

“Here we go, my new work contract.” Instead of a diner they drove to Sofia’s place to make sure her new work contract was really there. Smiling the blonde handed the papers to Sara after she threw a look at them.   
“Coffee?”  
“Water. I want to sleep later.”  
“You find all the hidden catches and I make us something to eat. Vegetarian of course.”  
“Thanks.” Sara read the work contract. Everything sounded good, she had no idea what Sofia was paid at the moment, her new contract looked like it was not a very good or very bad payment. For herself the money would be slightly less. Vegas paid more but they had more work and Sara wanted to work less. After all the doubles and overtime were the reason why she looked for another job.   
“I made us a fruit salad, the best way to get prepared for Hawaii. Do you like pineapples?”  
“Yes.”  
“We’ll have a joyride to the huge pineapple fields. They taste even better there.”  
“Most things taste better when you eat them straight from the field. I can’t find anything bad about your new work contract.”  
“That’s what I expected. Trop plays with open cards all the time.”  
“Trop?”  
“Captain Tropical. You’ll like him, he’s one of a kind.”  
“Okay.” Sara dipped her banana slice in a little pot of chocolate sauce that accidentally found its way on the plate with all the fruits. “When will you go over?”  
“Good question, it isn’t like I had a lot of time thinking about it. One hour ago I had no idea I’d go there at all. After somebody else made my decision.”  
“Sorry. It was wrong but…I can’t explain why I did it. Opportunity? There was a chance for you to go back to Honolulu, a place you obviously loved a lot, there was no reason I could think of why you shouldn’t take the chance. So I typed the text, knowing it was wrong while it felt right.” Sara blushed a bit.   
“You did the right thing.”  
“I had good intentions.”  
“Stop worrying about it. Tell me what you planed so far? When will you leave?”  
“Well, I’ll tell Grissom tonight I want to stop working in the middle of August, that gives me six weeks to move my stuff from here to Honolulu and find a new home. Having like a million hours of overtime and a lot of holidays days left I can go over before, have a first look around.”  
“Sounds like a good plan.”  
“Sounds like a lot of work.”  
“Yeah.” Sofia got lost in staring at her water. A lot of work. A lot of changes. She couldn’t wait to make it all happen. 

…to CSI Honolulu

“Why is this sign written in Japanese?”  
“Because here are a lot of Japanese tourists.”  
“Well, here are also two American tourists and I’d appreciate it when there’s an English sign about where the shuttle bus stops.” Sara was slightly annoyed by finding no directions to the shuttle bus. First the call the building she and Sofia were supposed to stay this week burnt down two days ago and they had to find another place to stay and now she had no idea where to go because she couldn’t read Japanese.   
“Follow me and relax.”  
“Why don’t I get one of these flowers chains?”  
“A Lei. Only when you’re with a tourist group you get them.”  
“Let me guess: a Japanese tourist group?”  
“They surely get them all from their airlines.”  
“We flew Hawaiian Airline.”  
“Since when are you into these things?”  
“Since I’m in Honolulu and want to be a tourist. Right now I feel like a second class tourist.”  
“You poor thing.” Sofia chuckled and pushed Sara softly towards the place the shuttle bus stopped.   
“How do you know we’re at the right place? Again there’s a Japanese sign.”  
“And it says a one way ticket is nine dollars and a return ticket is fifteen. We want a return ticket because in six days we fly back to Vegas. Did you ever notice the ABC shop?”  
“What’s that? A show for children learning how to spell?”  
Sofia laughed out loud. “No, it’s a souvenir shop, very popular here. Vegas is the only place on the mainland where you can find them too. As far as I know.”  
“Why do you know things like that.”  
“Because I read my travel book before I came here. There’s the bus, you save us a seat and I take care of the luggage.”  
“Do the bus driver speaks English?”  
“Try him.”   
Sara eyed Sofia for a second before she went to the front door of the bus.   
Still amused about the brunette Sofia handed their luggage to the man who put the suitcases in the bus and asked for their destination. After being homeless for a night they booked two rooms in a little motel complex. Both with kitchenettes, close to the beach and a surf board hire.   
Their bus ride took almost an hour, various other destinations were on the list of the driver before he stopped in front of their home for a week. Together with four other guest – of course Japanese – they walked towards the reception.   
“I bet at the end of the week we’re fluent in Japanese.” Sara whispered to Sofia.   
“Get used to it. I’m sure you’ll end up working with them as well.”  
“Pickpocket is more your work field.”  
“No, I’m homicide, always next to my CSI, the reason why I’m here.”  
Sara mumbled something Sofia couldn’t understand. Patiently they waited until the other tourists had their keys before they approached the reception.   
“Hi, we booked two rooms, Sidle and Curtis.” Sofia said.   
“Sidle and Curtis.” The man looked into his computer. “Are you sure you booked two rooms and not two beds?”  
“Yes.” Sara’s voice was annoyed.   
“I’ve you in a twin room.”  
“With a kitchenette?” Sofia asked. Two single rooms or a twin room wasn’t a big difference for her.   
“No. Standard.”  
“We booked two single rooms with a kitchenette.” Sara said, holding herself back slamming her fist on the reception.   
“I’m sorry, there had been an misunderstanding.”  
“Do you have two rooms with kitchenettes?”  
“No. Sorry. All I can offer is a double room with a kitchen. Deluxe. One hundred dollars per night per person.”  
“So first you messed up our reservation and now you want more money? What kind of service is this? Do you really have three and a half stars or did you paint them yourself on the wall? This is a joke, we booked via mail, you have it written down, how can you mess it up?”  
“Ma’am…”  
“Don’t Ma’am me, it’s Detective.” Sofia threw her badge on the reception.   
“I’m sorry Detective…if you give me a moment I’ll ask my boss if it’s okay that I give you the deluxe room for the same price. One moment, please.”  
“You better hurry.”  
Sofia’s look told Sara not ask any question and the tiny spark in her eyes told her, the blonde had a plan that was working.   
“Ma…Detective, my boss says it’s our please to give you the deluxe room without any additional pay. Let me hand you the keys.” He gave them two keys.   
“At least something.” Sofia grumbled. “Which direction?”  
“Up the stairs, left hand side. Number 18.”  
“Thanks.” With their suitcases they left the reception, went up the stairs to their room.   
“Well, that’s not too bad.” Sofia looked around. A spacious room with a TV, two armchairs, a dinning table and a king size bed.   
“Nice bathroom, with a bath tub.”  
“We have a huge bath tub not too far away.” Sofia had crossed the room and stood on the balcony. A lovely view onto the ocean and the beach reimbursed them for the trouble with the room.   
“Wow. We can watch the sunset from here.”  
“We could. It’s much better when you sit on the beach, your feet buried in sand.”  
“True.” Sara opened the fridge. “Well, well, that’s why they call it deluxe. Want a piña colada, a soda or a beer?”  
“We’ve got a stocked fridge?”  
“Not stocked like full but with some cold drinks. I think I take a piña colada. What about you?”  
“Same. Shall I order something to eat?”  
“Like room service?”  
“Like delivery service.”  
“Oh, also good. Got a number?”  
“Saved in my cell phone. Care for pizza?”  
“Veggie .”  
“Of course.”  
Sara poured two glasses of piña colada and sat on the balcony. The first good moment of their trip. A burnt down accommodation, rooms they had booked and didn’t get, everything written in a foreign language.   
“Pizza will be here in twenty minutes.” Sofia took her drink and sat next to Sara.   
“Perfect.”  
“Yeah.” The blonde closed her eyes and let the sun shone on her face. “We do have a barbecue here.”  
“It’s deluxe.”  
“Care for some barbecue tomorrow? A barbecue suitable for vegetarians of course.”  
“While we watch the sunset? That’s what I call holidays. What other plans do we have?”  
“Today we should relax, go shopping and get prepared for tomorrow. We can get the car at ten, our first appointment is at eleven. You know, we’re both looking for the same thing, I hope we won’t argue about a condo.”  
“We? Argue? Never!” Sara laughed. “Only when you try to get my condo, the cheap one right at the beach.”  
“Your condo? My condo!”  
“Never.”  
“See, we’re already arguing. Want another thing to argue about?”  
“What’s that?”  
“Who’ll sleep on the floor? One bed, two people.”  
“I got us the room.”  
“I would have taken the two single rooms.”  
“Yeah, sure.”  
“Yes.”  
“We could fight or find a compromise.”  
“Like what?”  
“One side for you, one for me. It’s a king size bed, for crying out loud.”  
“You want me to share a bed with you?”  
“We can put a few pillows in the middle if that makes you any better.”  
“No, I’m fine. The next time we take a room with two bed, a kitchen and a couch.”   
“The next time we come to Honolulu we’ll have our own place.”  
“Next time this will be home.” 

When Sara woke up she found herself no longer on the left side of the bed but in the middle; snuggled up to Sofia, holding on to her arm. Surprised she moved away.   
“Calm down, I won’t bite you. Didn’t do it the rest of the night.”  
“Why did you not…”  
“You had a nightmare.”  
“A nightmare?” She couldn’t remember, she…no, she did remember. In her night mare she was back in her first foster home…like every time when she slept at a new place. “Sorry.”  
“No need to apologize. Are you better now?”  
“Yes. This happens every time I sleep somewhere new. Tonight I should be fine.”  
“Hopefully. Should I wake you up if the nightmare returns?”  
“Please. You’re not my teddy bear.”  
“No, I’m in a way too great sharp to be a fluffy big belly teddy tear.”  
“Smug. I take a shower.”  
“And I prepare breakfast and call my old captain. Maybe we can meet him and some guys later.”  
“A cops night out?”  
“No, an after work beer. I’ve already a dinner date with a CSI on the balcony.”  
“Don’t you forget that.”   
“Never.” 

“Vegas, what took you so long to come back?” A tall dark skinned man lifted Sofia up like she was nothing else than a feather.   
“I had some work to do. Let me down, Flea.”  
“I’ve waiting to have you back for four months, you ain’t gonna go anywhere.”   
“Don’t make me hurt you.”  
“Honey, you’re cute when try to scare me. Tell me, who is the beautiful woman next to you.”  
“I tell you when you let me down.”  
“Blackmailing your future colleague? Did they teach that in Vegas?”  
“Negotiation strategy.”   
“Blackmailing.” He let her down. “So?”  
“That’s Sara Sidle, our new CSI.”  
“Wow, that’s what a call a fine souvenir.”  
“One more comment like that I kick your balls up your throat.” Sara said dryly.   
“I like her!” A youngish man with red hair chuckled. “Not as much as I like you but she seems to be cool. Ass kicking like you.”  
“Felix, how are you?” Sofia smiled.  
“Better when you give me a hug.”   
“Oh, come on.” She pulled him in her arms, hugged him and kissed him on his cheek.   
“Welcome to the team, I’m Captain Tropical.” Another tall man, dark hair shook Sara’s hand. “We spoke on the phone.”  
“Sara Sidle, thanks for giving me a chance.”  
“With your reverences it’s more like you give Honolulu a chance. Sofia denied to tell me anything about you that wasn’t written on the resume, did you instructed her for that?”  
“Do you think anybody can instruct Sofia?”  
“As her captain I want to believe that. The private Sofia surely won’t let anybody dictate her life.”  
“Exactly.” Sara took a sip from her beer. She and Sofia were with Sofia’s old and soon again colleagues and boss in a little bar not too far away from Waikiki beach.   
“What did your boss say when you told him you want to leave?”  
“He wasn’t happy but said it’s better for me.”  
“Sofia told me you worked a lot.”  
“We all did.”  
“And now you’re working again. Finding a new home isn’t either neither. Did you find something you like today?”  
“No, we looked at five different condos, none was what we expected. We both want a balcony, a quiet house, a garden and air condition.”  
“Expensive.”  
“Absolutely. We’ll give it another try the day after tomorrow.”  
“You take a break tomorrow?”  
“Yes. We buy a newspaper, look for some new offers, call them and spend the day on the beach.”  
“That’s what I call a good plan. How’s your accommodation?”  
“The first one burnt down, the second one didn’t have the rooms we booked, Sofia got mad and we got an expensive room for the same price.”  
“Nicely played. What do you expect of Honolulu?”  
“New impressions, exchanging knowledge and – even if I shouldn’t tell my boss – less work.”  
“I know how much you worked, Sara. It won’t happen here. I take car of my people.”  
“My old boss tried the same, sometimes you don’t have a choice.”  
“There’s always a choice.”  
Sara sighed. In her world things weren’t only black and white. Knowing her new boss wanted to try everything to protected her against a burn out, made her feel good anyway. This didn’t seem to be another Ecklie.   
“How comes you’re in charge for the police and the CSI?”  
“It’s the same side of the fence, I worked both areas for several years. I’m not your boss Sara, I only approved on your request to work for us.”  
“Thanks.”  
“And you still think it’s because of Sofia, don’t you?”  
Surprised she looked at him. “A little bit.”  
“It isn’t. Yes, I contacted her to hear what she thinks about you and yes I tried to make her talk but she didn’t say something. She let me tell her what you wrote, affirmed that and I made my own decision. You’re a very good CSI, every CSI lab and every half decent boss should try to get you. I’m surprised you don’t work for the Feds.”  
“It crossed my mind once.”  
“Understandable. They have a lot of opportunities for somebody with your skills.”  
“I prefer to make my own decisions where I work and not let somebody send me to wherever.”  
“What if your boss sends you away? To Maui for example? You’re responsible for all islands.”  
“Of course I am. A case on Maui would allow me to fly back after we solved the case, it’s not like I can be send a thousand miles away to wherever. It’s always Hawaii.”  
“True.”  
“Trop, don’t scare her away.” Sofia placed her hand for a second on Sara’s shoulder.   
“Vegas, I don’t scare anybody.”  
“Only bad guys. Is he nice to you, Sara?”  
“Yes. Do the guys have enough of you?”  
“No, I had to steal myself away. In a few weeks they’ll be used to have me around again. We meet once a week after work here. I hope you’ll join us.”  
“Isn’t it cops only?”  
“For the best CSI we can make an exception.”  
“Thanks.”  
“Vegas, do you still want your quarter pound steak?”  
“Of course, Flea. And a big salad without meat for Sara, please.”  
“She’s eating away the food for our food? That’s mean.”  
“Save it. She gets what she wants. That applies for now and later or you’ll get in trouble with me.”  
“You’re threatening me?”  
“I’m telling you I take care of my CSI.”  
“I can take care of myself.”  
“No, you take care of your detective.” Sofia blinked at Sara. “This way we’re both save.”  
“Deal.” Sara smiled. She didn’t need a babysitter but having Sofia looking after her while she had an eye on the detective was fair. Although she didn’t fear her future colleagues. 

Again in Sofia’s arms. Sara couldn’t believe it. Did she have a nightmare again? There was no memory but she didn’t always remembered her nightmares. Why did they come back?   
“Stay Sara, please.”  
“A nightmare?”  
“No, no nightmare.”  
“Oh.”  
“You fell asleep and your sleep didn’t seem to be very calmly so I pulled you in my arms.”  
“Thanks.”  
“Sara, it’s none of my business, you said your bad sleep is from being at a new place…”  
“Last night wasn’t, no.”  
“You don’t have to tell me. Now. At all.”  
“I think…I need a shower.”  
“All right. Whatever is best for you. If you want you can also stay another minute or two.”  
“What’s wrong with me?” Sara asked, not really expecting an answer.   
“Nothing.”  
“I…my sleep is poor.”  
“After all these months of stress it’s not unusual that your sleep is poor. Stress makes those things. Give yourself some time.”  
“You seem to be okay.”  
“No, I’m not. I don’t sleep a lot, it will take a while until I’m used to sleep at night and longer than three hours in a row but I’ll go there. So will you.”  
“I hope so.”  
“You will.”  
“Did I…did I sleep better after…”  
“Yes.”  
“Oh.”  
“Listen Sara, it’s all right. We have this king size bed and if it’s good for you, stay in my arms. It’s all right. We all need some comfort and I’m sure when I need to be hold you’ll be there for me too.”  
“It’s just…”  
“Weird?”  
“Yes.”  
“Only because our relationship wasn’t the best at the beginning it doesn’t mean we’ve to keep this up. The last months we got along very good.”  
“It still feels strange.”  
“We’ll both get over it.” Sofia smiled. “Anyway today it’s my time to hit the shower first and you’re the breakfast server. I want my coffee, bagel and fruit juice in ten minutes. On the balcony, got me?”  
“Yes Ma’am.”  
“Don’t Ma’am me, it’s Sofia for you.” Before Sofia could leave the bed, she got pulled in by Sara.   
“Thanks again.” The brunette whispered before she let go of the blonde.   
“You’re welcome. We came here together, we’ll fight everything that makes us unhappy together. That’s the deal.”  
“That’s the deal.” Sara smiled a bit. Sofia was right. No matter how hard it was for her to accept it, the blonde was right and it was smarter to get some help than suffering. If she didn’t change some thing she’d end up sooner or later the same like in Vegas. And what happened in Vegas stays in Vegas. 

Sara had sneaked out of bed around six in the morning while Sofia was sound asleep. With a little smile she watched the blonde for a minute before she left for a little run. Now, three hours later they were on the beach, savoring the sunshine.   
“Four more condos for tomorrow.” Sara lifted her shades a bit to peak at Sofia.   
“Yeah. The credo for the day is think positive so two of these condos will be perfect for us.”  
“Exactly. Does that mean we can stay the whole day lazy on the beach?”  
“We could. Or we take a little walk around the coast, get to know our future home.”  
“Why not? We can walk, take a break wherever we like it, get some ice cream, go on walking, another break, buy some stupid things in the alphabet shop.”  
“ABC shop.” Sofia laughed.   
“The last time I checked A, B and C do belong to the alphabet.”  
“Really?”  
“You’re teasing me.” Sara pouted.   
“A little bit.”  
“Why don’t you move your smug and lazy ass a bit before it gets even bigger and have a walk with me?”  
“Are you calling me fat?”  
“No, I’m just saying your rear end is…you’ll get your own postcode for it.” Sara jumped aside so Sofia couldn’t slap her. Grabbing her towel she flight, chased by Sofia. Laughing, catching each other, pushing each other into the sand, they made their way off the beach to a little road that seemed to run next to the shore.   
“Did you enjoy our night out with the boys?” Sofia asked.   
“Yeah, they’re nice. But why do you call a man who looks like a giant mountain Flea?”  
“Because of his brain.”  
“That’s mean and I don’t think he has the brain of a flea. He likes you, could barely let go of you. Is he the reason why you missed Honolulu so much?”  
“Flea? Yeah, he’s one reason.”   
“Interesting. Tell me more about your holiday flirt.”  
“He’s a gorgeous man, very handsome, intelligent, available.”  
“You can change the last part.”  
“No, I can’t.”  
“Why not?”  
“I’m not man enough.”  
“Does…oh…oh…”  
“Shocked?”  
“Surprised.”  
“You’ll get over it, hopefully.”  
“Means the way is free for Felix, who seems to be very happy you’re back too.”  
“He’s my Greg. It’s no man’s fault that I’m here. A woman got me here. A cheeky brunette who answered my text messages.”  
“Did you make her pay for it?”  
“Not yet.”  
“Scary.” Sara grinned. “Chocolate?”  
“Want to go with me to an ABC shop?”  
“So no chocolate for you.” Sara pulled a chocolate bar out of her bag, opened it and bit in it.   
“Meany! Share!”   
“No.”  
“Yes!” Sofia grabbed Sara’s hand, pulled it over and bit in the chocolate bar. “Thanks.”  
“You’re looking for trouble.”  
“No, for a condo in a place like this. Close to the beach, quiet area.”  
“Did you get a boost in pay?”  
“No, why?”  
“Because I doubt this area is an area you or me can afford.”  
“Positive day, remember?” Sofia grinned. What was wrong with having dreams? So many things had changed to better the last weeks, why no hoping for a few more wonders to happen? A couple of months ago none of them had believed they’d both go to Honolulu, stay in the same room and instead of fights they were enjoying their time together. A new job, less stress, a beach most people could only dream of in front of their door. All those things were evidence that wonders do happen and dreams do come true.   
“Now that’s a house with character.” Sara looked at an house that looked out of place between all the other, new and renovated houses.   
“Yeah, must be one of the houses that were built before millions of tourists came here – and not renovated since that time.”   
“It has character, it doesn’t look like all the others, I like that.”  
“Because you’re not like all the others too?”  
“Nobody is like somebody else, we’re all unique. Sometimes it’s hard to believe when you see these wanna be Barbies in the newspaper but even they have under all their make up and after all of their plastic surgeries something unique.”  
“The stupid laugher is the same.”  
“Blond and stupid.”  
“I won’t take that personal, Miss Sidle.”  
“Not? Thanks.”   
“Are you two lost?” An elderly woman came out of the house.   
“We? Uhm, no.” Sofia answered.  
“We were looking at your house.”  
“It needs some work, I know.”  
“Actually I think all it need is restoration, no change. It’s unique, really nice.”  
“Thanks. I doubt it will get a restoration. People want the kind of houses you see everywhere. Modern bungalows. My name is Barbara, by the way.”  
“Sara and that’s Sofia, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”  
“Likewise. Do you two want a cup of tea?”  
Tea? It was over eighty degrees, how could one person want tea? Real tea and not iced tea?  
“You mean an elevenses?”  
Barbara looked surprised at Sofia. “Yes my dear. How do you know? You don’t sound like you’re from the British Empire.”  
“My grandmother was and she insisted on her elevenses every day. I picked your British accent.”  
“Well then, why don’t we have elevenses?” She guided them into a kitchen, that was as old as the rest of the house but spick and span.   
“Take a seat, I’m afraid the furniture isn’t the best anymore.”  
“Thanks.” Sara felt like she was in a time machine and was put forty or fifty years back. This was like houses in old movies looked. Impressive.   
Barbara put on an old kettle, placed three cups in front of them.   
“China.”  
“Of course, a good tea deserves china. Do you want milk and sugar?”  
“Yes, please.” Sofia smiled. This was like with her grandmother. For a moment she felt like she was a little girl again.   
“Sara?”  
“Uhm, I’m not sure.”  
“How do you like your coffee?”  
“Black.”  
“In that case you should try your tea black and add whatever you need. Biscuits?”   
“Oh yes. Biscuits, not cookies. Very important.”  
“Yes, in fact I do have…”  
“Scones?”  
“Of course.”  
“Terrific.”  
“Sofia, something happened to your voice.” Sara chuckled.   
“Yes, there’s a hind of England in her voice. Where did your grandmother live?” Barbara poured water over leaves. This tea was actually made with real leaves.   
“West Sussex.”  
“A really nice area.” Barbara put the china with the tea in front of them and sat down. “So where do you live?”  
“In Vegas but we’ll both move to Honolulu soon. We got a job here and are looking for two condos. Actually today is our lazy day, we called a few people to look at their condos tomorrow. We can’t be a week on Oahu without some time at the beach, right?”  
“No, that’s not possible. What are you doing?”  
“Sara is a CSI and I’m with the police.”  
“You’ll come over and make our island safer. That’s nice.”  
“We’ll try our best. Are you living here all by yourself?” Sofia couldn’t find any evidence for a husband or children. There were photos of Barbara with a man and children but they were older.   
“Yes. My husband died twenty years ago, the children left Oahu a long time ago.”  
“You never followed them?”  
“I might soon. So far there was always the house that kept me here.”  
“What has changed?” Under different circumstances Sofia didn’t feel comfortable asking so many personal question to a stranger, she only knew for like fifteen minutes. Then again usually she didn’t take an invitation from somebody she didn’t know for a cup of tea. In this case it felt to her like Barbara needed somebody to talk.   
“I’ll lose the house.”  
“Why?”  
“Because there’re a lot of debts and the bank wants its money until Friday. If I can’t pay them they’ll get the house. Seventy thousand dollars are nothing I can get within the next three days.”  
“The house is worth more.”  
“No, not the house but the land.”  
“Why don’t you sell it?”  
“I promised my husband I’d never leave the house if there isn’t another choice. We built this house together, it’s all I’ve left of him. It’s stupid, I know. My children are nagging me to sell it for years, I can’t.”  
“And there’s no way you can keep the house?”  
“Only when I suddenly find seventy thousand dollar.”  
“Unlikely.” Sara poured some milk into her tea, more out of curiosity because Sofia and Barbara had milk and sugar in their tea too. Maybe you were supposed to drink this tea with milk.   
“I know. The house isn’t in a good condition, it needs more than seventy thousand dollar to be what people call a real house…anyway we can save the thoughts, I won’t find the money, it won’t fall from heaven on me and I can fly to Vegas, gamble and expect to win the money, can I?”  
“Many people try it, most don’t succeed.” Sara dipped her cookie - pardon biscuit – in the tea. Strange taste.   
“You can have a look around if you want, I can’t join you. The stair is steep, too steep for me.”  
“Why not, I like was I see so far. Reminds me so much of my grandmother.” Sofia smiled and took another sip of her tea. Exactly the same taste like the one her grandmother made. Gosh, there were so many old memories coming back. 

“I feel like I’m in an old movie.” Sofia ran her finger over an old cabinet. Instantly her finger turned dark gray.   
“Yeah.” Sara sneezed. “A dust palest.”  
“Nobody has been up here for years.” They were in the upper story of the house.   
“Hopefully the wooden floor won’t break. I’d hate to fall on the expensive china and the delicious cookies.”  
“Biscuits.”   
“Whatever. You like the house and the lady.”  
“So do you.”  
“I do.”  
“And?” Sofia could see Sara’s sentence wasn’t finished.   
“And if it wouldn’t be crazy and if I had the money I’d give it to her.”  
“So would I.” The blonde looked at an old photo. A boy who had obviously his first day at school.   
“We can buy the house next week, all we need is a lot of money.”   
“Yeah, more than we have.” This thought had crossed Sofia’s mind a few times. Unfortunately she didn’t have a solution for the money problem.  
“If we buy it now we save a lot of money.”  
“Barbara doesn’t sell, she told us so.”  
“Maybe she needs a good reason.”  
“Like what? What do you have in mind, Sara?”  
“She told us she lives in three rooms downstairs: kitchen, bathroom, bedroom.”  
“Yes. So?”  
“There are two big rooms downstairs left and a big apartment up here. We were both looking for a condo with two rooms, a kitchen and a bathroom.”  
“I know what we’re looking for.”  
“Do you think when we have our condos they’re bigger than this story and the two rooms downstairs?”  
“You know how much they cost, they’ll be smaller.”   
“Right. Now why don’t we offer Barbara we buy the house, renovate it without it losing its charm. She can stay in her three rooms downstairs, we make two apartments out of the rest? It’s a lot of more work than buying two condos that might be even furnished but…”  
“But no condo will have such a big garden, such a great view and elevenses.” Sofia completed with a smile.   
“I didn’t think of the last point but yes.”  
“This house is a hell lot of work.”  
“So are you and nevertheless I came here with you. Organized your transfer. I was aware that I’ve to face criminals, dead bodies and tourists every day and on top that you.”  
“Tell me about it, I came here with a moody bitch who knows nothing about social life and is a workaholic.”  
“Horrible.” Sara pulled Sofia in her arms. “Don’t you love challenges?”  
“Absolutely. And we can spend out time with renovating so the two condos will be exactly the way we want them.”  
“Shall we go down and talk to Barbara? Maybe you get another tea.”  
“Yes. The next tea is at four, tea time.”  
“Whatever.” Sara laughed. Carefully they walked down the stairs back in the kitchen where Barbara washed potatoes.   
“How is the upper level?”  
“Dusty.” Sofia smiled.   
“I’m sorry, there had been nobody up there in a while.”  
“Don’t worry, we’ve seen worse places.”  
“I suppose you did with your jobs. Will you stay for lunch? I’m about to make some oven potatoes.”  
“We’d like to talk to you first.” Self made baked potatoes were one of Sara’s favorite meals. It was tempting to accept the invitation.   
“What can I do for you, Honey?”  
“Sofia and me had an idea how you can stay here while we were upstairs.”  
“Did you find a lot of money there?”  
“No.”  
“So how can I keep the house without money?”  
“Did you promise your husband not to sell the house or not to move out?”  
“Is there any difference? Whoever will buy the house wants to have it for themselves. The bank won’t allow me to stay.”  
“When the new owner says it’s okay that you’ll stay.”  
“Nobody will do that.”  
“Sofia told me this morning this is a positive day, we’re supposed to think positive. We had an idea, it might sound a little bit crazy but it means you can stay. Like you know we’re looking for two condos and while we were upstairs we thought maybe we can buy your house.”  
“I’m sure the bank will sell the house to you.”  
“No, not the bank. We all know this house is worth more than seventy thousand dollar, you said it yourself and when the bank has it, it will cost a fortune. If you sell the house to us for, lets say ninety thousand dollar and we set up a contract that says you can stay in your three rooms, they’re yours while we build two condos out of the rest of the house, you can pay the bank and stay.”  
“That’s a big idea you have.”  
“It’s…it comes out of the blue, I know. It hit us also surprisingly. You can think about it, we didn’t really think about it, maybe was that a mistakes because it’s too crazy.”  
“Sometimes you have to do crazy things.”  
“Yes.”  
“I’ll give it a thought. Now, what about lunch? Baked potatoes, salad and fish.”  
“As a vegetarian I skip the fish. If you tell us where a shop is we can get some dessert. Ice cream?”  
“Two blocks down, turn left and go for another four blocks. There’s a little supermarket.”  
“Perfect. We get the ice cream, that gives you time to think and if you need more time, that’s no problem at all.” Sara and Sofia got up. The little walk could help them clean their head as well. After all, their plans had changed completely since they were in this house. 

With closed eyes lay Sara on the bed. What a day. Crazy. Instead of a lazy day on the beach, calling a few people to make appointments for looking at condos they met an elderly woman, who not only made them delicious lunch but might also sell her house to them.   
Was that really what she wanted? Living in a renovated house with an elderly woman and Sofia? Both in separate condos but still in the same house. Wasn’t that too close to comfort? If they bought the house she was bonded to Sofia for a long time. Or she had to sell her part of the house to the blonde in case she changed her mind and wanted to go somewhere else. Same when Sofia changed her mind. Then Sara had to buy her part of the house or let somebody else move inside.   
And could they afford it? If they paid ninety thousand dollar to Barbara most of Sara’s money was gone. Sure, she would sell her condo in Vegas but the houses needed a big renovation what costs a lot of money. And it was a lot of work.   
“Dreaming, sleeping or thinking?” Sofia came into the room, sat on the edge of the bed.  
“All three together.”  
“Wow, that sounds like work.”  
“Yes.” Sara’s eyes popped open, found the blue eyes of the detective. “How was your walk?”  
“There’re still a lot of things in my head.”  
“Do you think it was a mistake? Our offer to Barbara?”  
“It makes things more difficult, more expensive and complicated.”  
“That’s what I figured out.”  
“Do you regret it?” Sofia lay next to Sara.   
“No. It’s a great opportunity.”  
“Even with me in the same house?”  
“Yes.” Sara’s hand found Sofia’s. “It gives me strength knowing you’re with me in that. Not only because the cost will be only half this way also because I know there’s somebody who fights the same things I do, who can support me. Although you’ve supported me already enough since we’re here.”  
“Pure selfishness.”  
“Really?”  
“Yes. When we’re back I can tell Greg I not only shared a room with you but also a bed and had you in my arms. What do you think will he do for a photo of a sleeping Sara?”  
“Don’t you dare!”  
“He’d do whatever I ask him to do.”  
“You do that I can post photos of you drunk in the internet where all criminals can find them.”  
“Threats, now that sounds finally like us.”  
“Yeah, these nice things all the time feel unnatural, don’t they?” Sara laughed.   
“Totally. Get out of my bed, bitch.”  
“Your bed?”  
“Yes, I fought for it, it’s mine. The whole room is mine.”  
“Sure, you must have lost your brain somewhere on your walk.”  
“Wanna fight with me?”  
“I’m not afraid, Detective.”  
“You better are. I can cuff you.”  
“You’re way too lazy to do that now.”  
“Perhaps.” Sofia chuckled. She liked laying here, not moving. Maybe the fight could wait until later. Much later. Tomorrow. Or something like that. 

Having tea and biscuit. Why was that the first thing they did when they came into the kitchen? It had to be a British thing, Sara reckoned.   
“Where do you get the tea? I didn’t see them in the supermarket.” Sofia asked.   
“I order it on the internet. You don’t get it here, the British influence isn’t that big.”  
“Yeah, it’s very Japanese here.” Sara remembered the signs written in Japanese.   
“Indeed.” Barbara sat down and sipped on her tea. “I talked to my children last night.”  
“Of course, they want to know what you’re doing too.”  
“They do. I think they prepared themselves to have me over, in a nursery home so they don’t have to worry about me.”  
“Why a nursery home? You’re fit.” Sofia furrowed her brows.   
“That can change in a few years.”  
“You can go to a nursery home in a few years. Sorry, but it’s stupid to send you there now.”   
“My words. I like it here, I know the neighbors even when a lot of have moved away, but this is my home. And I’m sure my husband wants me to stay here as long as possible. So if you really want to share your home with an old woman I’ll give you my okay.”  
“I prefer to share my woman with an elderly lady than with a smug cop.” Sara grinned.  
“And I’m glad to have somebody around who isn’t moody all the time.” Sofia shot back dryly.   
“Mocking each other is important, it’s part of a healthy relationship.”  
“In that case our relationship is very healthy, isn’t it Detective?”  
“Yes. Barbara, do you know a good lawyer? Who can set the contract without a lot of fuss?”  
“No, sorry.”  
“In that case I call my future boss, he’ll know one. And then we should go to the bank, Sara. Tell them we need some money. How much money do you want, Barbara? We should talk about that before I call anybody.”  
“You offered ninety thousand, that will pay the bank and gives me some money for later.”  
“The house is worth more.”  
“I know. The rent for a place like this is also very expensive. The relation will be okay in a few years.”  
“In that case we’ve a deal.” Sofia offered the other woman her hand.   
“We do.”  
“To a good household.” Sara added. Now it all depended on the lawyer and the banks. If everything went of smooth she owned half of a house. Or a third of it. Whatever. 

Sofia had to admit she felt a little bit sick in her stomach tonight. Did she make a mistake? Did she think about what she did or did she only act and her brain would jump in later and tell her, she was a fool. A house. Not a condo. She bought a house. Or a part of it. What exactly did she think when she decided she wanted to buy a house with Sara? With a person who had given her a hard time first, ignored her later and wasn’t her biggest fan later. This wasn’t like buying a house with a spouse you were in love with for years, or married or planning to get married with. This was crazy.   
Like her mother said, the crazier things are the more Sofia was interested in them. Looked like she was right. Again.   
“Do you feel as uncomfortable as I do?” Sara came out of the bathroom.   
How did she see it? Was it written all over Sofia’s face? Last night she was so sure it was the right thing to do, today, that everything was arranged, she felt like she should run away and never come back. “Yes.” Why denying the obvious thing?  
“It’s weird.” Sara sat on the bed. “Unexpected.”  
“Crazy.”  
“Absolutely. You know, we will see the lawyer tomorrow morning, when we blow this appointment nothing will happen. We can cancel the architect for the afternoon and nothing will happen.”  
“We need to find a condo for each of us otherwise we’ll be homeless in three weeks when we come here.”  
“Maybe going to Hawaii was a mistake too.”  
“You really think so?” Sofia never doubted it was wrong to get her job here, only the house gave her…the responsibility and start of something new gave her a lot of things to think about. Never before she had been a house owner.   
“No.” Sara smiled, switched off the light and lay down.   
“Good. I don’t want you to regret it.”  
“Ditto.”  
“I only need another moment to realize what we did and that it is the right thing.”  
“Take the moment.” With a little smile Sara snuggled onto Sofia’s side. “I take your arm for now.”  
“Are your dreams still bad?”  
“They are all right.”  
“But not good.”  
“No. I’ll survive.”  
“You’ll get new nightmares when we move in the house.”  
“Very likely.”  
“Want me to stay with you for a night or two?”  
“As a grown up woman I should be able to handle them alone, shouldn’t I?”  
“As a grown up woman you shouldn’t be too pride to take help when it’s offered.”  
“You’re right on that one, Detective Curtis.”  
“I’m always right, Investigator Sidle.”  
“So what’s wrong with you that nobody tried to stop you from moving to Honolulu? Shouldn’t there be a man who tells you to stay otherwise he can’t survive?”  
“There are a lot of men who tell me not to leave them but they’re not important enough to make me stay.”  
“There’re so many men here I’m sure you’ll find a few new ones to keep your bed warm.”  
“None of them kept my bed warm in Vegas. They all wanted that, their problem is I’m very picky when it comes to my bed company.”  
“Am I supposed to feel honored now?” Sara chuckled.   
“I insist on it.” Sofia pulled Sara in and kissed her cheek. “Sleep and stop worrying about my sex life, it doesn’t exist, I’m in a very demanding relationship with my job but I promise as soon as we moved to here I’ll try to change that. Only a happy private life makes you a good worker.”  
“You’ll be too busy renovating the house, buying furniture and arranging everything to date.”  
“We’ll see. What about you? Will you take Greg with you?”  
“No but I promised him he can come and visit me whenever he likes. He tries to get a few days off between Christmas and New Years Eve so he can be with us.”  
“That would be nice.”  
“Don’t you wanna fly to your family?”  
“No. I want to spend Christmas and New Years Eve with you. In our new house, with our Christmas tree, we’ll have a warm December so we can have a barbecue…or luau to celebrate the new year. And because we’re the newbies we won’t celebrate on the actual dates. Here’s a proposal for you: do you want to celebrate Christmas with me two or three days after everybody else did, Sara?”   
Sara laughed. “I do.”  
“With the power of Honolulu I pronounce us now Christmas CSI and Christmas Cop. We may sleep now so we’re ready to face the lawyer tomorrow morning. Have a good night.”  
“Sleep tight, Sofia. I’m sure everything will work out perfectly; not only the house.” Sara squeezed Sofia’s hand for a moment.   
The blonde smiled. Everything will out perfectly. There were a lot of things they had to take care of, the house was a lot of work but most of it would be done by construction worker. A new job for them, a new city, learning a lot about the city and the people and most important their new private life. Sharing a house together, seeing each other every day and their friendship that seemed to grow stronger and stronger every day.   
She was glad her life was the way it was right now. With Sara in her life, in her arms and a new start. 

“Do you think there’s a lesson in law school that teaches how to be an idiot, talk bullshit and annoy the world until everybody wants to punch you straight in your lawyer - annoyer - face?”  
“Yes.”  
“Good, I think the same.” Sara grumbled. Lawyers. They were not only in court a pain in the ass. The one they say this morning had taken over two hours of their time, most of it telling them how to do things they never asked for. When he tried to talk them into becoming his clients so in case of any trouble with the house they had a lawyer to sort things out Sara had given him a hard and told him ice cold, they were both carrying and could sort out their problems their own way. Same for things that annoyed them. At had done the trick to finish the contract and leave the office within the next ten minutes.   
“You shocked him with the guns.” Sofia grinned. In that moment the old Sara had spoken. Annoyed, no, really pissed, unfriendly and not carrying that you felt his dislike towards you. The way Sofia met the brunette first.   
“He was threatening us, I used what we’ve got. Slimy little roach.”  
“Snail?”  
“Whatever. If the architect is a slimmer as well it’s your time to kick his ass. Or hers.”  
“She’s a friend of Trop, I doubt she’s slimy. Do you wanna grab a bite before we go back?”  
“Lets grab something for the way and get back to Barbara. She needs to sign the contract and give it to her lawyer friend.”  
“He isn’t a lawyer anymore, he’s retired.” While they were looking for a lawyer Barbara remembered an old friend of hers who used to be a lawyer. She wanted him to look over the contract of the other lawyer and if he thought it’s all right she would sign it.   
“Once a lawyer always a lawyer. I’ll be a cop forever.”  
“A great cop, not just any one.” Sara blinked at the blonde.   
“Right. Thanks. Shall I get the rental car while you get us something to eat? I take the same you take.”  
“Okay. Do we need something to celebrate?”  
“A box of beer.”  
“Celebrate, Sofia, not barbecue.”  
“Hey, a great cop likes beer and when we’re done with the architect we can call the guys and celebrate with them. You’ll have cop friends before you meet a squint.”  
“Is this what you call yourself, former Acting Supervisor Curtis?”  
“Get the food and drink, Brain while Pinky gets the car.” Sofia bopped Sara.   
Amused Sara went into the little take out diner and got both steamed rice with vegetables and half a dozen vegetarian sushi rolls. They left the contract with Barbara and her friend and sat in front of the house in the sun, eating their lunch.   
“Now we have the deluxe room with a kitchen and we eat here in the garden, take away stuff.”  
“Did you really expect us to use the kitchen every day?”  
“Yes, I hoped we’d do that. It’s cheaper, healthier and I like it when somebody cooks for me.”  
“Who said I cook for you?”  
“My hope.”  
“Your hope is a liar or lives in a fantasy world. Why don’t cook you for me?”  
“I will. When we live here I will cook for. We have a big house party when everything is done and I’ll cook something for you.”  
“And all the other guests.”  
“No, I’ll cook something especially for you.”  
“Can you bake a cake for me that looks like a house?”  
“You mean like the gingerbread house in Hansel and Gretel? I never tried that, when you give me a hand I’m sure we’ll create a great house.”  
“Baking isn’t exactly my expertise but we can try it.”   
“You might as well bake this disaster, I’ve never seen a house that needs a make over more urgent than this one. What did you pay for it? I’m sure whatever it is, it was too much.”  
Sara and Sofia turned. Behind them stood a woman in her early forties, yellow shoes, red short skirt, yellow top and the same red for her hair that her shoes were. There was a camera around her neck and a notepad in her hands.   
“Clara?” Sofia hoped this was the friend of Trop while another part of her hoped it wasn’t her. She didn’t want a house that looked like this woman.   
“Who else could it be? I can see why Trop said it’s urgent. It would have been urgent twenty years ago.” She took photos, wrote something down. “We need a complete made over for the outside. How is the roof?”  
“Uhm…no idea.” Sara got up.   
“Okay, we’ll check it toes to head. Come on, ladies, this is a lot of work. Tell me what you want for the outside while we walk around it.”  
“You mean the garden?” Sofia asked carefully.   
“I mean everything.”  
“We need a driveway for the cars.” Sara said. There was no place for their cars and they didn’t want to park on the street when they had a house with garden.   
“Two cars, two garages, one on each side of the house. What about this mess?” Clara pointed to the garden, that hadn’t seen a gardener in a long time and looked quite savage.   
“I want the trees here, they give us some shade. Plus it’s a great place for a hammock. Sara?”  
“Yes. The bushes are too high, we can’t see the ocean when we sit down here, that should be changed.”  
“Want something build in the garden? A pool?”  
“No, we take the ocean as a pool.”  
“Okay. This house needs a complete renovation from the outside, ladies. The walls are old, the windows have all to be changed and the same for the front door. This won’t be cheap, ladies.”  
“We were aware of that.”  
“Good. Shall we go inside? Any wishes about the inside I need to know first?”  
“The former – or still owner if she hasn’t signed the contract yet – live in the front of the ground level. Left hand is her bedroom and bathroom, right side the kitchen. These rooms are hers, she’ll keep them and we need them to be one apartment.”  
“Okay. And Trop said you want two more apartments, one for each of you.”  
“That’s right. Sara and me need to equal sized apartments, there are two more rooms downstairs and the upper level. We leave it up to you how you arrange the apartments.”  
“That sounds like a very good plan.”  
They went inside the house. From Clara’s house they could read she was renovating the house already. Knocking on the kitchen door for a short hello they went on with the two empty rooms downstairs before they made their way up to the second level. Clara was constantly taking photos, writing things down and talking, most times to herself than to Sara or Sofia.   
“Okay, two possibilities: first you leave the stairway where it is, that means one apartment will have both rooms downstairs and this side of the house upstairs while the other one is on that side. Or you remove the stairways and get two new ones inside so that each apartment has a room downstairs and one side of the house. It’s more work, it’s more expensive and you’ll have two apartments that are long and narrow. If you like long, dark hallways it’s perfect for if you prefer to use your space for bright rooms this version won’t be your pick.”  
Sara looked at Sofia. “I prefer the first one. You?”  
“Same. Do you want a two level apartment with a look on the ocean?”  
“You can see the ocean from both apartments. One will face it directly the other one will get big windows so you can see it while you sit on your couch or sit in bed. Plus you can have a veranda.”  
“A big one, big enough for a barbecue, a hammock and can you make it get around the corner?” Sara asked.   
“You bet, Honey. I can make it start on the backside of the house and let it go around so you’ve the south and west side covered.”  
“We want that. And when I’ve a huge veranda I don’t need to apartment that faces the ocean.”   
“Are you sure?” Sofia wanted Sara to be happy with her future home.   
“Yes. How fast can you turn the house into something livable?”  
“You mean how good am I in making wonders true? Quite good.”  
“Because we’re gone on Saturday and be back in three weeks.”  
“Three weeks? I can get the guys to renovate the outer part of the house and the roof in this time, the complete house isn’t possible. Especially with the two story apartment it will take more time.”  
“Can you get one apartment ready? At least so far ready that we can move in?”  
“You want the kitchen and bathroom where they are now?”  
“Yes.”  
“I can arrange that. What about the downstairs apartment?”  
“Ask Barbara about that.”  
“Okay. Any special wishes?”  
“What do you have on mind for us?” Sofia asked back.   
“Something that suits both of you. Let me tell you how I see you: you’re two independent women who are successful and good in their jobs and changed from a desert gambler town with a high crime rate to an island tropical city with less crime but still enough work to have a challenge. You both like things straight forward, no fuss, no colorful walls, no modern art in the garden. You want a place to relax, something that makes you forget work, the bad things in life. A little getaway with hammocks, palms, maybe a banana tree, a barbecue so you can invite friends over for a little party. Beer not wine, maybe a cocktail. Your new house has to be a place where you can invite guests as it has to be a place where you can have a rest from everything else.   
For your apartment.” She looked at Sofia. “It’s a black and white stone floor everywhere. Black furniture, something red, a kitchen downstairs and a work room, you need these rooms separate to leave everything that doesn’t relax you behind. Bedroom not facing the ocean, bathroom next to it. Bigger because you need a shower and a bath tube or a combination of them. Big windows towards the ocean for the living room, glass doors, it doesn’t matter when the living room isn’t that spacious because you prefer to be outside, sit on the balcony. Your apartment is sexy.  
Yours on the other hand.” She looked at Sara. “Is in natural colors. Brown, beige, crème, green plants. You need a big living room with shelves for books, you’re more the introvert kind, like books, time for yourself. People are sometimes a hassle, you like nature and animals. Your bedroom is in earth color, the bathroom is basically and like a little fountain. A place to boost your energy. Your kitchen needs a big fridge for fresh food, a big window sill for some herbs.   
There seems to be a big difference between the two of you, I’m sure it wasn’t easy for you to get along first, it took some time before you were ready to accept the other one, appreciate the difference that isn’t that different at all. You’re more alike than you think you are.”  
“Did we ask for an architect or a psych?” Sofia asked amused.   
“To create homes for people it’s important to read them, understand them, get to know them fast. If I create you a colorful apartment like a clown’s home or one that looks like Warhol made it, you wouldn’t be happy at all.”  
“No.” Sara shivered at the thought of it. That wasn’t her style.   
“See. You won’t be here, you have to trust me I make what you like for living in. There will be photos of process but whenever you see something on a photo it’s already done.”  
“What do you think how far can you get in three weeks?”  
“Sara, I can have the whole house done but then it’s not the way you want it. We’ll make the outside, your apartment won’t be a too much work, I assume you want different furniture. I can tell you what size your kitchen is so you can choose one while you’re here and I let it build in as soon as it can be done. Same with the bathroom. Sofia, same for you even when I don’t think we get this far in three weeks, we needs the electricians and plumbers. Anyway, let me know what you want and I try to get it into your home.”  
“Thanks.”  
“Yeah, thanks. That’s a lot of work and you have other projects too.”  
“I do. But this is a challenge. A house this old is rare to find and most times people avulse it and build something new. We’ll keep the charm of the house and make it modern at the same time. Sara, your entry will be over the balcony, I guess stairs from the garage, we can turn the garage into another balcony.” Clara looked at Sara. “And a sunroom. A little place where you can sit in between plants on a rainy day, watch the raindrops running down the window, have a coffee, a good book and relax.”  
“You spoil her.” Sofia protested with a smile. “Why does she get a sunroom and I don’t?”  
“Because you have the better view and I’m sure when you bring some cookies you can join her every now and then.”  
“Then it’s not a place to relax anymore.” Sara chuckled and blinked at Sofia.   
“Be nice or you’re in trouble with a very close neighbor.”  
“If you’re not nice I won’t let you live in my apartment when we’re back. Means you’ve to sleep in the garden or between all the construction worker…maybe that’s what you want. As a blonde…”  
“Before you start fighting let me take some more photos and then I’m out of here. Try not to leave too much blood when you shoot each other, that will delay everything.”  
“Don’t worry when I get her out of the way there won’t be a single tiny piece of evidence.” Sara laughed. 

“I’m in paradise!” Greg pulled Sara and Sofia into his arms and kissed both. “Thanks, thanks, thanks.”  
“Don’t thank us too early. There’s a lot of work waiting for you.” Sara smiled and bopped her friend. They were on their way from the airport to Sara’s and Sofia’s new home. Both women had an extra suitcase while Greg lent most of the space of his suitcase to them too. The rest of their things would come a few days later via ship.   
“It’s to the last time I work with you, I’ll enjoy every second of it.”  
“Me too.” Sara took his hand. It wasn’t that hard to leave Las Vegas behind her, she thought it would be worse. Leaving her friends behind was painful, saying goodbye to Grissom, knowing if it had worked out between them she’d be in Vegas for the rest of her life. That Greg came with her and Sofia was only a delayed most painful goodbye.   
“In case I miss you too much will you put in a good word for me?”  
“You want to come to Hawaii?”  
“Sara, it’s not like it’s a punishment to live here. Look around, it’s beautiful, there is the ocean, a beach filled with sexy women, I can learn how to surf, living in Honolulu is a dream. With you and Sofia next door it’s perfect. Also I’m afraid I’ll live on the street, these houses don’t look like I can afford them.”  
“The area isn’t the cheapest.”  
“You must earn a lot of more money than I do.”  
“No, we were lucky.”   
“In a lot of ways.” Sofia blinked at Sara. “We found this house, it was for sale, it was affordable, our architect is…unique.” Clara had sent them every three days photos of the house, of the changes. The construction worker were done with the outside of the house, Barbara’s apartment was renovated, the former hallway was divided by a wall. An entrance for Sofia was in her future kitchen while Sara’s entrance was in her kitchen. A staircase on the side of the house got her into her new home.   
“We can move into it after only three weeks; well in parts of it.” Sofia’s apartment wasn’t finished. The staircase was supposed to be renewed, some walls had to be moved, the kitchen and bathroom wasn’t inside, neither were any other furniture while in Sara’s apartment the new kitchen and bathroom were there and could be used.  
“Yeah, we’ve to share my apartment for a while. Greg, how do you feel about painting?”  
“Your body with chocolate?”  
“The walls with paint?”  
“I liked the body idea more. Where am I supposed to sleep?”  
“My couch is there, it needs to be build up. We can do that after we paint the living room and the bedroom. The bed is also there, needs to be build too.”  
“No lazy welcome day on the beach.”  
“We told you it’s work when you come with us.”  
“Yes and that’s fine. Wow, is that your house?”  
“I guess so.” Sofia stared at the house. There were half a dozen construction worker working around the house, carrying windows, bags with whatever inside. The color had changed from dark gray to white, the roof was shiny red just the surroundings looked messed up. Until the construction worker were done it would stay like this.   
“Clara told us there was some progress and we saw the photos. This looks better than the photos. I wonder how far they come. We didn’t get any photos since three days, perhaps everything is done.”  
“Barbara’s apartment is done.”  
“Your British house mate.”  
“Sofia has British roots. I wondered a few times where her accent comes from. Every now and then there’s a hint of something in her voice, now I know it’s British. Very…how do you call it over there?”  
“I’m an American citizen like you are, Miss Sidle.”  
“No American knows elevenses.”  
“Smart ones do.” Sofia stopped the car. “Get out, carry the luggage upstairs and – for a change – be nice.”  
“If I weren’t nice I wouldn’t let you sleep in my apartment until yours is ready to move in.”  
“Where does she sleep?” Greg asked. “And where do we sleep?”  
“You, my cute Greggo, sleep on the couch, the little Queen Elizabeth stays wit me.”  
“Just because she’s royal she gets the best place, not fair.”  
“It has nothing to do with royalty, it has to do with you not keeping your hands off me.”  
“You think?”  
“Yes.”  
He looked at her for a moment. “Maybe you’re right.”  
“I am.” Sara hugged Greg and kissed his cheek.   
“Welcome home.” Barbara appeared in her front door.  
“Hi, how are you?” Sofia smiled.   
“Fine, I’ve been surrounded by young good looking men the last three weeks, they turned my life and my house upside down but since my life was boring before and my house isn’t my house anymore, it was fun. How are you? How was the flight.”  
“All right. We got you another young good looking men, our personal concierge. Barbara, that’s Greg, Greg that’s Barbara.”  
“Pleasure to meet you.”   
“Likewise. Can you take your house back so I can take my girls back home?”  
“No.” Barbara laughed. “They stay. You have to come here too.”  
“I wish.”  
“He’ll be a frequently visitor.” Sara grinned. “How do you like your house?”  
“It looks different but I watched and listened to the men, the renovation was necessary. Thanks to you I can still live here and have it nice.”  
“Thanks to you we can live in our own house.” Sara answered. “Greg has written down his name for all his holidays. Will you come over for Christmas and New Years, Honey?”  
“No, after it.”  
“Perfect. We’ll be working too.”  
“How can you come here without your boyfriend?”  
“That’s what I’m asking as well.” Greg whined.   
“Because my boyfriend is a friend and not my lover. Which is much better, this way we won’t split up and stay together forever.”  
“Together in different time zones.”  
“But still together and you’re always welcome here.” She pulled him into her arms. “We go surfing together.”  
“First we renovate your new place. Where shall I carry the suitcases to?”  
“The stairs over there are mine. Over the garage.” Sara was surprised that the first garage was already standing next to the house. Then again they needed it for the staircase.  
Barbara handed her the keys and with one of her suitcases and the carry on baggage she leaded their way up to the apartment. After giving the moment of turning her keys to her own new apartment an extra blink of a second and a little smile, she unlocked the door and stepped inside what was her new kitchen.   
The day before she flew back to Vegas she had chosen a kitchen, a bedroom and a living room. The kitchen was build up except for the table. The fridge was open, so was the freezer. A basket with fruits were on the bench, together with a bottle of juice.   
“Home sweet home.”  
“Welcome to your new place.” Sofia hugged her.   
“Welcome to your new place.” Sara repeated. “You live here as well.”  
“I live next door but thanks to tell me I’m welcome.”  
“Always. What do you say, Greg?”  
“A lot of work for us to do.”  
“Yes. We should start as soon as possible.”  
“Why don’t Greg and I start with painting the bedroom and the living room while you get the rest of our stuff out of the car and go shopping? You may have a bed and a couch but you don’t have beddings, no plate, no spoon, nothing. Get us all the things we need to live and sleep here.”  
“I’m supposed to leave my apartment to you?”  
“Yes, you trust me and Greg. Painting the apartment in white isn’t that difficult. We start with the bedroom, go over to the living room and continue with the rest after it.”  
“It’s not fair that I go shopping while you paint my apartment.”  
“Honey, it’s your apartment, you have to choose what you want. We can’t do that for you. Don’t you worry, we’ll be fine and when you bring us something to eat, a few beer, we’ll be happy. Go.” Sofia pushed Sara softly to her front door.  
“I haven’t even seen my whole apartment.”  
“Later. Let us make it more beautiful for you.”  
“Are you kicking me out of my own apartment?”  
“No, time’s doing that. See you later.” With a smile Sofia pushed Sara out of her apartment and closed the door after her. They were on a tight schedule and it was important to get the basic stuff for the apartment before the shops closed. 

“You’ve got paint on your shirt.” Greg came in the living room with a new bucket of white paint.   
“I know, it doesn’t matter these clothes are old.”  
“In that case.” He put his hand into the white paint and smashed it with a grin on Sofia’s ass.   
“Hey!”  
“Now you’ve got my hand on your sexy ass.”  
“You’re not here to fool around, you’re here to work and help.”  
“Everybody who works hard needs some fun. We finished one room, this is almost done and I’m sure we’ll finish the whole apartment today.”  
“When we’re done with the walls we need to build up the bed and the couch and whatever Sara buys. A few very busy days lie ahead, are you sure you’re happy you joined us and not come here later when we’re done.”  
“Friends are there for each other to help.” He handed her a chocolate bar. “Some energy.”  
“Thanks.” Sofia sat on the stone floor, drank some of the water she had around. Working on a new apartment was fun, sewing how it become more and more a home each day. She had missed put a lot of work while she was back in Vegas but there was still a lot of work coming. As soon as they were done in Sara’s apartment they could go over to Sofia’s and start all over again.   
“It’s really nice of you to help us. You didn’t have a lot of time off and now that you have five days you spend the time renovating. You should be down at the beach, swimming, surfing, hitting on beautiful women, drinking cocktails.”  
“I’ve the two most beautiful women here, why should I go somewhere else to have only the second best ones?”  
“Oh Greg.” She hugged and kissed his cheek. “I’ll miss you. Why don’t you apply for a job here too?”  
“Because somebody has to make sure Vegas stays as safe as possible. There are a lot of flights between your new and old home, I hope you come around a few times a year and when you do and don’t want to stay with your parents, there’s always some space for you in my apartment.”  
“Thanks. The bed for Sara and the couch for me?”  
“As a gentleman I leave the bed to both of you and take the couch.”  
“How bad will it be for you to be without her? You will miss her a lot, won’t you?”  
“Yes.” He sighed. “I’ve avoided the thought of Vegas without her so far and I try to do it until I’m back and reality hits me. No more cases with her, no more talking about evidence, going through details and no more crime scenes where the sexiest detective of Vegas is waiting for me.”  
“Whenever you feel like changing from Vegas to Honolulu let me know, I put in a good word for you. So will Sara.”  
“Maybe one day. Or maybe you come back one day. I can’t see that happen at the moment but four months ago I couldn’t imagine you and Sara will leave. Sometimes life changes quickly.”  
“True.” She leant onto his shoulder. “I hope you were serious about coming over for a belated Christmas. We get a barbecue and have our own Christmas party on the balcony with beer, cocktails, hammocks and breathtaking sunsets.”  
“No sunset can be as breathtaking as you are, Detective.” He kissed her hair.   
“Stop it or I’ll regret that I moved.”   
“You won’t. You can’t regret Hawaii, your new home.”  
“Sometimes even nice things have not so nice sides.”  
“Yeah, heavy bags for example.” Sara came into the room, packed with a lot of huge bags.   
“Hey shopping girl, you look packed.” Greg took a few bags out of Sara’s hands.   
“I am and so is the car. Wow, you weren’t lazy.”  
“No, this is our first break.”  
“I bought some beer and pizza. We can test the fridge and oven.”  
“Healthy choice, I like that.” Greg pulled Sara in his arms with one arm while he had dipped his other hand in paint and placed in right on her butt.   
“Bull’s eye.” Sofia chuckled.   
“What the…”  
“He did the same to me, must be a kind of territorial behavior. We’re his women now, he has his hand on our ass.”  
“Do you think I won’t kick your ass anymore? Just because we live in different time zones now it doesn’t mean you’re still the student and have to respect your teacher, young man.”  
“She’s getting harsh, I like that. The bitchy tone is back, the early Sara, very sexy, untouchable. Men like that, we always want things we think we can’t have.”  
“One more stupid comment like this and you can sleep somewhere else but not in my apartment, Casanova.”  
“Why don’t I get your stuff out of the car?”  
“Yes, you should do that.” Sara handed him her keys. “Thanks.” She kissed him.   
“Have a look at your apartment, in case you want something different we can still change it and make it perfect.”  
“It’s only an apartment, Greg. I won’t spend a lot of time in here.”  
“Oh yes you will!” Sofia pulled Sara into her bedroom. “This is your new home, we came here because we need some more time without work. You won’t become a workaholic anymore, you will enjoy your time off. There’s a beach behind our home, you get your ass down there and surf.”  
“After a long day at work I might prefer a quiet evening on the balcony, next to the barbecue, a beer in my hand and watching the sunset.”  
“That’s okay too. No more doubles, no more endless overtime.”  
“Tell it our boss.”  
“I told him already. Will accept it as well?”  
“Yes.”  
“Good. Now, would you like me to help you with the bed or shall I go on with painting?”  
“I can handle my bed alone, in case I need a hand I call you. Thanks. How far are they with your apartment?”  
“They’ll get us the balcony tomorrow and after that they work on my apartment. In three days it should be ready to paint. That means I’ve to go shopping tomorrow – a kitchen, bathroom and whatever else I like.”  
“Need a hand?”  
“No, I leave you to your apartment. We have a look for our cars in the morning and do the rest after we own cars.” They had looked for cars on the internet and found two that looked all right.   
“You painted my apartment I paint yours. We have a deal, Curtis.”  
“Okay. Tell me, what did you buy? Anything kinky? A huge poster of half naked surfer?”  
“Yes, for your apartment.”  
“Really? That’s what I call a cool gift.”  
“With eight pillows, two huge blankets, linen, cutlery, half a dozen plates, mugs, a dozen glasses, a lot of food for our first days, towels, pots and a shower curtain. I bet I forgot a lot of things but we should survive the first day.”  
“There are so many things we use every day and don’t notice them. Now that we don’t have anything except for some clothes, our notebooks, toilette stuff and papers we will experience every day the feeling of “oh gosh I don’t have…”. The best reason to go shopping.”  
“We’ve three weeks to get sorted out, we should be able to do that.”  
“We are. Back to work, break is over. Your apartment needs our attention.”  
“The sooner we’re done painting the sooner we get the smell out.” They had all windows wide open but the smell of paint was still in the air. And before the rest of the apartment wasn’t paint it wouldn’t change. 

“We really made it.” Sara let herself fall backwards onto her bed and sighed. After eight hours of painting and building furniture together they were done and ready for a good night sleep. Greg was already sound asleep in the living room on Sara’s big sleeping couch. After a walk on the beach, two beer and a pizza he practically fell onto the couch and into a deep, deep sleep.   
“Yes, you’ve got an apartment with a kitchen, bathroom and some parts of the bed- and living room. The important ones.”  
“Bed and couch.”  
“You need a TV and a stereo.”  
“We’ve the notebook to watch movies or listen to music.”  
“You won’t buy a huge flat screen TV tomorrow?”  
“No, I thought more of a table, chairs, a washing machine, useful things. Something I need to live here. What will you buy?”  
“My kitchen, bathroom, some other furniture. When I buy them all together I might get a big discount and they carry them for me into the apartment. But first we need the cars.”  
“Our own freedom.”  
“More space to buy little things for the apartments.”  
“Do you think we’ll have a day or two to relax before we start working?”  
“Yes.” Sofia slipped next to Sara. Somehow they would organize some time off, some time to appreciate their new home, the beach.   
“Hopefully. I don’t want a second Vegas.”  
“We won’t have a second Vegas. Do you want to be in my arms or shall I be in yours?”  
“You’re so smug right now.”  
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of needing some help.”  
“I’m weak.”  
“We all have our weak spots, a new place is yours. Me as your friend I’m there for you when you need me and I’m sure when I need a friend you’ll be there for me, won’t you?”  
“You have weak spots? Besides being way too smug.”  
“I have a lot weak moments, Sara. You’ll find that out soon enough now that we live together. So, how do you want me?”  
“Who said I want you? You make yourself useful, that’s it.”  
“Sure.” Sofia grinned.  
“Oh shut up.” Sara pulled the blonde into her arms. “Or I send you over to Greg on the couch.”  
“You won’t do that, you’re holding on to me.”  
“I use you, you’re just useful, Detective.”  
“Of course. That’s why you pull me in so close.”  
“You’re loose in my arms…and you lost weight, didn’t you?”  
“A few pounds, there was no time to eat.”  
“We get them back on you.”  
“Am I too skinny?”  
“Lets say you’re not a size zero type, a ten is better. I prefer to see you walking next to me on the beach and waving after you because the wind blew you away. Leave the size zero to all the models and actresses and be the wonderful detective who has enough strength to kick a bad guy’s ass.”  
“You worry about me. Thanks.”  
“As a detective you’ve to take care of me, you can’t do that when you’re almost a nothing. It’s pure selfishness.”  
“Sure.” Sofia smiled. She had realized herself that her clothes have become too wide the last weeks but there were so many things to do that she didn’t have time to eat. “Sleep tight.”  
“Ditto.”  
A little moan slipped out of Sofia’s moth when Sara kissed her between the shoulder blades.   
“You hit a very sensitive spot.”  
“I’m good, I know that. But when you’re so easily to please how comes nobody does please you?”  
“As far as I can see I’m not alone, I’m with you and I feel good in your arms. Very comfortable. It’s not always about sex, trust is more important.” Sofia snuggled into Sara’s arms. “When you get a nightmare or any bad dream wake me up. When I realize something is wrong with you I’ll wake you up.”  
“Thanks. Sofia?”  
“Yeah.”  
“I’m glad we’re here, share the house.”  
“So am I. We’ll have a great time and the perfect house.”   
Sara found out during the day that she enjoyed renovating her apartment, creating a home for herself and her friend. They were doing the right thing. 

“I’m glad you didn’t buy a truck.” Greg shook his head and looked at Sara’s new jeep. The car was filled up with things she had bought. So was the rental car Greg drove.   
“Hey, you offered to go shopping with me.”  
“Yeah…I never picked you as a shopping girl.”  
“There’s a difference between a shopping girl and a woman who buys things to complete her household. As you might have noticed my apartment is a little bit empty at the moment and you were the one who complained about the missing TV. Now there’s a TV and a TV tray.”  
“Among four book shelves, a dinning table, four chairs, a couch table, a cabinet for your living room, a huge wardrobe and I forgot what else.”  
“And there’ll be a container with more stuff tomorrow. Do you regret you came here, Greg?”  
“No.” He pulled her in his arms and kissed her hair. “I don’t regret a single second, Sara. I want to be with you, help you. That’s what a little brother is there for.”  
“Good.”  
“I wonder how much Sofia bought.”  
“A complete kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room? Plus a desk and shelves for her work room.” Sofia had decided to turn the little room downstairs next to the stairs into a work room and get the bathroom upstairs next to the bedroom. This way her room upstairs were a little bit smaller than planed but she had the three most important rooms upstairs and most of the time she wanted to be on the balcony anyway.   
“Probably. Lets have a look how far the worker are and continue completing your apartment.”  
“Greg?”  
“Yes”  
“When will you be back here?”  
“First of all I haven’t left yet, Sara. Second, we said we want to celebrate Christmas together. A belated Christmas when we have a few days off and I will be here then.”  
“I realized last night how much I’ll miss you and it scared me.” Sara confessed. “Moving to Hawaii, away from all the stress seems to be the right thing, I love the house but leaving you behind is…feels wrong. Like I left the most important part in Vegas.”  
“There are times in our life when we have to leave somebody who is important behind. That doesn’t mean we lost this one, it means there’ll be a time without him. A time, not the rest of your life. You never know, maybe I miss you so much that I put in a request to come here too. In that case you need to say goodbye to your living room.”  
“You promise you come here as often as possible?”  
“Like I promised you’re always welcome in Vegas and we’ll talk every night or second night on the phone.”   
“Sorry that I’m so…whiny.”  
“Sensitive.” He smiled. “I like that. Come on, former teacher, time to carry the few things you bought upstairs. This week is a great work out.”  
“My accountant doesn’t like this week – or the last month. He can’t wait until I work again and stop buying expensive things.”  
“Important things.”   
They needed over half an hour until everything was carried from the cars into Sara’s apartment. To their surprise was the balcony already in front of Sara’s living room. Not quite ready to use but one of the construction workers promised them, they could have a drink on the balcony tonight.   
Motivated by this they started on all the furniture. First the dinning table and the chairs then the TV tray and the TV. A big flat screen TV, something Sara didn’t want to buy but got talked into it by Greg.   
It was six when Sofia came back.  
“Hi, you look busy.”  
“We are, there’s still…oh, wow!” Greg’s yaw fell almost on his chest. “Double wow.”  
“Thanks.”  
“We can use a hand or two.” Sara said, not bothering to look up.   
“I’m all yours.”  
“You’re…wow. You look gorgeous. Sara, have a look at her!”   
Sara looked up from the shelf she was working on. In front of her was a Sofia in shorts, top and brown hair.   
“Nice hair, what happened to blondie?”  
“I thought I go back to my natural hair color. When I went to the hair dresser after my furniture shopping tour I had to decide between dying blonde again because you saw the dark roots or going back to nature. I took nature. Brown is what my hair looks like, no more blondie, it’s brunette from now on.”  
“Didn’t you plan to become Miss Waikiki?”  
“I do. And I tried the new hair when I went bikini shopping. The sales clerk liked my hair and the rest.”  
“All about the ego. Our balcony is ready to use, we can have a drink there later.”  
“Perfect. I need to get a few things into the garage and ask them if they’re really ready for the kitchen the day after tomorrow. I bought the whole apartment furniture.”  
“Does your accountant hates you as much I mine hates me?”  
“Probably. I enjoyed it anyway.”  
“That’s the main point.”  
“Exactly. Okay I’ll be with you in a minute or two.”  
Greg stared after Sofia. “Her hair is almost as dark as yours.”  
“I saw that.”  
“She looks great. I mean, she was very beautiful as a blonde but you know, I prefer brunette and she looks stunning. No wonder the sales clerk liked what he saw. Especially in a bikini.”  
“Are you about to jump her?”  
“No! I only say she looks great.”  
“She does. And what you’re doing looks wrong.”  
“Huh?” He looked down and realized he held the door for a cabinet upside down. “Oh.”  
“Too much sexy brunette for your concentration?” Sara chuckled.   
“Shut up and work on your shelf.”   
“I’m not distracted, Greggo.”  
“No, you’re mean; the way I like you best.” He blew her a kiss and continued with the cabinet. 

The first sunset on their own balcony. With a bottle of beer Sara and Sofia sat on a chair from Sara’s kitchen, waiting for Greg who excused himself an hour ago.   
“For buying some toiletry stuff he needs a lot of time.” Sara said.   
“Yeah, I bet he has a date. Did he talk to somebody today? I mean while you were shopping, did he flirt with a sales clerk?”  
“Not that I saw it.”  
“Maybe his eyes caught somebody and he had to go back and give her his number. Or he’s very careful with choosing the best tooth brush.”  
“We might know when he’s back.”  
“Yes.”  
“Tell me about your furniture, what did you buy?”  
“A black kitchen, black and red living room, white bathroom and a black and red bedroom. I get a king size bed with black and red satin linen. All very sexy.”  
“So why not red or black hair?”  
“Because I’m a natural brunette.”  
“Isn’t brunette boring?”  
“You are a lot of things, Sara, boring isn’t one of them. And I know you like my new hair.”  
“How’s that?”  
“Well, Greggo said it, he didn’t hold back, he almost got the cabinet door upside down on the cabinet. You, on the other hand, were more difficult to read. You seemed to be unimpressed but you weren’t. You like my hair, you looked a second longer than necessary at me. Plus there was a certain smile on your face.”  
“A certain smile?”  
“Yes, a smile that said you saw something you liked.”  
“You look not too bad.”  
“I look great.”  
“Said the sales clerk. Why did you buy bikinis? You had one.”  
“I had two now I’ve five. And he didn’t say he look great, I saw it. His pants showed that very obvious. When he excused himself I think he needed some time alone otherwise he had creamed his pants. For a second I thought of following him and releasing his pressure, he was cute.”  
“What stopped you?”  
“I don’t want to have sex with people I’m not in love with. The times of quickies and one-night-stands are over. Being cute isn’t enough anymore to get me.”  
“Wow, a new hair color makes you mature.”  
“You’re lucky I know you don’t mean it the way it sounded, Miss Sidle.”  
“Really?”  
“Yes. Otherwise we’d have our first fight.”  
“I don’t like fighting.”  
“Neither do I.”  
“Does the guy know he missed a big chance? Or more that he could have been a very lucky man?”  
“I’m sure he had some fun while he was away – just thinking of me in my bikini. Or without my bikini. Do you want to see them?”  
“Let me guess: they’re black and red.”  
Sofia laughed. “Wait and you will see. And get a new beer.” Sofia grinned and left the balcony.   
Sara turned and watched how the sun went closer and closer to the water. Soon it would touch the water a few minutes later it was gone. She had almost forgotten how beautiful a sunset was before she came to Hawaii. It was also nice to watch the sunset in Vegas, in the desert, the problem was, she never had the time to watch it. And when she wasn’t working, she was preparing for work or asleep. Life hadn’t been a lot of fun the last months. She knew the next months would be hard too, getting to know new people, working a new place, without her friends. A challenge that made her stronger.   
“What do you think?”  
“You forgot the potato chips with the beer.”   
“Remember you didn’t want to fight?” Sofia answered sweetly.   
“Right. You look okay.”  
“Okay?”  
“Good?”  
“Sara Sidle, we have to work on your social skills.” Sofia handed Sara the bottle of beer.   
“Yeah, maybe.” Sara handed the bottle back to Sofia, went inside and came back with a bag of potato chips a few seconds later. “So a yellow bikini this times. Suits your new hair.”  
“Thanks.” Sofia took some chips. “I shouldn’t eat them, they’ll ruin my bikini body.”  
“They will make your bikini body better. Or there won’t be anything for the guys to look at. Do I have to worry about you, Sofia?”  
“I’m eating, right?”   
“Not happily.”  
“Sorry. Potato chips aren’t my first choice. I’d prefer a steak, French fries or at least chocolate. I’ve got a very sweet tooth.”  
“We get you a steak tomorrow.”  
“Why not today?” Greg came out of Sara’s apartment, a bag in his hands.   
“Because we don’t have steaks.”  
“I have some. You look stunning, Sofia. Great bikini.”  
“Thanks. Where are the steaks?”  
“Here. And I’ve something else for you. Are you ready for a surprise?”  
“Depends on the surprise.”  
“Of course we are.” Sofia bopped Sara.   
“Perfect. Give me a second.” He vanished.   
“Grumpy.”  
“Honest.”  
“Try to lie every now and then, Sara.”  
“I don’t lie to my friends.”  
“Okay. Do you really worry about me and my weight?”  
“I’d feel more comfortable if you don’t lose any more weight, I think you’re too skinny. But it’s your body, your life, you can do what you want, you like best.”  
“Thanks.” Sofia hugged Sara. “I will eat more the next weeks because there’ll be more time to eat. Plus we can eat together, it tastes always better when you have nice company.”  
“Deal.”  
“Hey, you’re supposed to hug me!” Greg came with a huge packet back.   
“What is that?” Sara asked.   
“Unwrap it, be happy and kiss me. Both of you.”  
Sofia raised an eyebrow. “You’re very sure we like it.”  
“Absolutely.”  
“In this case we should risk an eye, shouldn’t we Sara?”  
“Yes.” They torn apart the brown paper and stopped. “You’re crazy.”  
“Like it?”  
“Yes.” She hugged and kissed him. “Thanks.”  
“You’re the best!” Sofia hugged and kissed Greg too.   
“That’s my gift for your new home. All the best for your new home.”  
“Thanks. Just what I wanted.” Sofia opened the box and pulled the first part of their new barbecue out. A big barbecue.   
“When I saw it this morning I knew it’s what you need for your new home.”  
“We did. Wow.”  
“And I’ve got something else?”  
“What?”  
“For that I need a hand. One can start working on the barbecue, the other could help me with my second gift.”  
“I take the barbecue.” Sofia had already pulled out half of the parts.   
“Okay, I help Greg. Hurry with the barbecue, Detective, I’m hungry and I know Greg has corn cob in his bag too.”  
“Almost done, get our next gift, I like gifts.” Sofia got the last part out. Time to build a barbecue. When she was young she had always built the barbecue of her parents up in spring so she knew what she had to do. This was a modern one but when you knew one or two you know how all of them work.   
“This looks like Christmas.”   
“Heavy Christmas.” Sara groaned and dropped a bug packet on the ground.   
“I get the rest, you can start unwrapping. You’re fast, Sofia.”  
„I’m the queen of barbecues.”   
“Here, your Majesty.” Sara threw a shirt to Sofia.   
“You don’t like looking at me in a bikini?”  
“I don’t like you getting a cold.”  
“Okay. What’s in the packet?”  
“It’s a…garden swing.”  
“Wow. Just what was missing for the balcony.”  
“Yes…he’s crazy.”  
“He’s great.”  
“That too.”  
“More than crazy. Can you give me a hand here?”  
“Sure.” With Sara’s help Sofia lifted the last part of the barbecue on top of the rest. “Ready to use. I get the steaks and your corn cob on the barbecue and help you with the garden swing. A beer and a steak on our balcony, watching the sunset over the ocean in our garden swing, can an evening be better?”  
“If I can think of something better I let you know. Until then I think this is perfect.”  
“A barbecue, a garden swing, sunset and great company, can’t get better.” Sofia had no idea how to thank Greg for his two gifts but she knew, she had to come up with something very special. After all, he came up with something very special too. 

Before she was awake Sofia felt how Sara’s arms tightened up around her, pulled her closer in. The last night had been a night without a lot of sleep for the investigator. Whenever Sofia woke up for a moment she felt Sara was awake and it wasn’t a good time to talk. Greg had left last night and even when Sara admitted that she missed him, she missed him more than she was able to put in words.   
“Do you want to go back to Vegas?”  
“No.”  
“Are you sure?”  
Silence. There were parts of Sara that wanted her go back, back to her old home, back to her friends, back to the place where she knew everything and everybody. Back to her old life, back to routine. On the other hand she knew it was good that she was here, started something new.   
“Yes.”  
Sofia turned and found sad and tired brown eyes only a few inches away from her own eyes. “Is there anything I can do to make you feel better, Sara?”  
“I guess I need some time to get used to the new situation. Until now there was so much to do, there was barely time to think, to realize what we’ve done, what we’ve left behind. Now that most of the work is done and Greg is gone, I feel…I feel like there’s nothing to hide behind, that I’ve to face the unknown future now.”  
“It scares me too. Sometimes.” It wasn’t like Sofia could leave her old life behind like rubbish. She left her family and friends behind, her colleagues and a job she loved. She still had the job, the same job only another city but it was never the same when you left your friends and colleagues behind. When she came here for a certain time she knew there was an end, she would go back. This time it was for good. There was no going back.   
“Logically there’s no reason to be afraid, we just changed locations, we didn’t change our jobs.”  
“A new location means new people. New places. New things can scare you.”  
“They do.”  
“You know what is good?”  
“Tell me, Sara.”  
“We’ve still have ourselves. We’re not alone. Okay, you go to the police department, I go to the CSI lab but we’re still in the same building, the same city. When we come home we won’t come to an empty house, we will meet each other on the balcony and can talk.”  
“We can talk during the day. I doubt we’ll have cases together the first time, we need to be with people who know the city better, but that doesn’t mean we can’t talk. If you’re nice I might invite you to join me for lunch.”  
“Who says I want to spend my lunch break with you when I’ve to see you the whole evening?”  
“And night.”  
“I think you can sleep in your own bed tonight. After one week I should be fine in my new bed. It’s not new anymore.”  
“We can talk about this tonight.” Sofia didn’t want to point out that last night Sara needed her close more than in any night before. “What are we going to do today? More shopping?”  
“There are still a lot of things we don’t have.”  
“True.”  
“But I don’t think I want to go shopping today. I feel like a day on the beach. Like holidays.”  
“You want to use your new surfboard?”  
“Yes.” For the first time Sara smiled. “Do you want to join me?”  
“I thought you’d never ask. Of course. I need to show my bikinis the world. And the two pounds I put on since somebody makes me eat all the things I shouldn’t eat.”  
“These two pounds are barely visible.” Sara’s hands stroke softly over Sofia’s top, feeling her hip bones. “Are you feeling uncomfortable with them?”  
“No. And I enjoy eating chocolate, steaks and French fries. The problem will be to stop with them. My body gets too easily used to all these little sins and it’s hard to change back to healthy.”  
“When we go back to work we can reduce the delicious sins, until then we’re on holidays and you’re supposed to eat whatever you want.”  
“Pancakes with chocolate spread and a huge coffee with milk and cream.”  
“Sounds like a good idea. It’s my turn to make breakfast so you can stay in here a few more minutes before I call you.”  
“Why don’t I get up with you, set the table prepare us some fresh orange juice?”  
“It’s my job today.”  
“Forget about that, we’re on holidays, there are no jobs. Come on, the sooner we get some fuel the sooner we can hit the waves.”  
Before Sofia could leave the bed Sara’s arms got around her one more time and pulled her in. “Thanks for being there, Sofia.”  
“You’re welcome.”  
“You know, in the beginning I was scared we would end up fighting when we spend so much time together. Now it looks like we get on better and better the more time we spend together. I like that. A lot.”  
“Then we should spend even more time together so we get along even better.”  
“On the beach?”  
“Sounds like the perfect place to be.”  
“It does, doesn’t it?” Sara smiled and the rest of the sorrow left her eyes. There were a lot of new things waiting for them but as long as they had each other they weren’t alone. 

“Hey Love, how are you? I miss you.”  
“I’m missing you too.”   
It felt so good hearing Greg’s voice. Sara had taken her cell phone out on the balcony, made herself comfortable on the garden swing and could listen to Greg’s voice. After forty eight hours without his voice she really needed to hear him today.   
“I’m fine and I miss you and Hawaii.”  
“Come here.”  
“In a few weeks. My boss, who was your boss until last month, doesn’t want to give me a week off until January. Apparently too much sunshine and surfing isn’t good for me.”  
“He’s lying.”  
“I know. Have you been surfing today?”  
“Every day the last week. I try to teach Sofia surfing, so far she doesn’t have a lot of talent.”  
“I bet she’s great in turning heads.”  
“Yes. Her pin board is full with numbers.”  
“How many dates does she have a day?”  
“None. She takes the numbers and doesn’t call them. If they’re lucky they see her again on the beach, if not they’re out of her life.”  
“No distraction from work, a good decision. You never know who you date. Maybe it’s a well known drug dealer and when you have your first day at work you realize, who was with you the last days. Wait until you can run your date through the system. Or tell me his name and I do it for you. Or her.”  
“I let her know. How are things going in Vegas?”  
“We’re busy. The two new people are not too bad, they can’t replace you but they try to do a decent job. There are still a lot of open cases and overtime but every now and then we’re able to breathe. Are you nervous? Three more days and you start your new job.”  
“Nervous, scared, happy, my feelings are a little bit…it feels like riding a roller coaster.”  
“Because of work or is there anything else on your mind?”  
Sara paused for a moment. There were a few things on her mind, she wasn’t sure if this was the right time and right place to talk about them.   
“Sara?”  
“Sorry, I got carried away by thoughts.”  
“There are things on your mind that don’t have anything to do with work.”  
“Yes.”  
“You don’t want to talk about them.”  
“It’s not the right place, not the right way on the phone.”  
“Can you talk about it with Sofia? She’s the only one who isn’t on the phone.”  
“Not the right person.”  
“Is she the problem?”  
“Problem would be the wrong word.”  
“She part of your roller coaster ride.”  
“Yes.”  
“In a good or bad way?”  
“At the moment I’m not sure what’s good and what’s bad. I feel like jumping in the next plane and come to you.” Was she really close to crying? Why? What happened? Since when was she the kind of woman who whined? On the phone.   
“What’s wrong, Sara?”  
“I don’t know. I guess I want my old life back. You know, the life I had two or three years ago. When everything seemed to be good.”  
“You mean everything was like the years before, no change and you only had to function.”  
“Don’t be so damn straight forward, Greg.”  
“I have to when you aren’t.”  
“You should go to work.”  
“And you should talk to Sofia, you need somebody to talk to in person, Sara. Talk to her, she will understand you.”  
“How do you know?”  
“I’m not only a very good looking guy but also a very smart man.”  
“You’re arrogant.”  
“No, I’m that good. I talk to you tomorrow and then you can tell me what you and our new brunette figured out. I want answers, Sara.”  
“I want a boat to sail the ocean and have enough so I don’t have to work and worry anymore.”  
“You want a conversation, go and get it.”  
“Bite me.”  
“I’d love to and will when I’m back with you soon.” He disconnected the call.   
“Cheeky.” Now what? She could get another beer or finish her pizza that was left cold on a plate in her apartment. Or stay here, think a little bit more and whine because she had changed her life the change scared her now. Why this time? When she came to Vegas she had a rough start and never doubted her decision. What was it this time?  
“You’re staring at the ceiling like there’s something special.”  
“Huh?” Sara flinched. When did Sofia join her? She hadn’t heard her.   
“Where have you been with your thoughts?”  
“Not important. Where have you been? Collecting telephone numbers?”  
“I had a date.”  
“What?”  
“I had a date.” Sofia grinned. You know, the thing you do when you meet somebody who seems to be interesting.”  
“Who is the lucky guy?”  
“Miss Waikiki 1995.”  
“I beg your pardon?”  
“I had a date with a former Miss Waikiki. We met at the bar, both quite annoyed because a guy was hitting on both of us so we kicked his ass together. Annie told me they’re looking for the new Miss Waikiki in two months. We’re both slightly over the age edge for the official Miss Waikiki, like a week or two, but she told me there are more than one voting. They start with three years and go up to sixty. So I will win the thirty-five group. All I have to do is being more beautiful than the former Miss Waikiki.”  
“You’re serious about this?”  
“Yes. When I was a teenager I wanted to be Miss Las Vegas High School. My mother didn’t let me join the competition because a future cop doesn’t try to be a Miss High School, a future cop concentrates on more important things.”  
“So you will buy a few more bikinis?”  
“Yes, Annie and me will go shopping tomorrow.”  
“She helps an opponent?”  
“She’s not in my group.”  
“Is she thirty-four?”  
“Yes. And she owns a gym, where I’m a new member. From tomorrow on I’ll be in there every day and get in shape. Soon I can stop all the bad guys with a single smile and don’t have to chase them anymore. They’ll chase me, bend over backwards only to be cuffed by me.”  
“Of course.”  
“Yes. Don’t look this amused. You could join the competition too.”  
“No, thanks. Walking around a stage and being watched by drooling men isn’t my cup of tea. Besides, I have a pizza waiting for me in the kitchen and a Miss Waikiki doesn’t eat pizza. She eats salad and makes sure, she doesn’t get over five hundred calories a day.”  
“Annie said something about three hundred. I’m not sure how to do that.”  
“You’ll figure a way out.” Sara got up and left the balcony. Miss Waikiki. Three hundred calories a day. What was wrong with Sofia? Since when cared she more about a ridiculous competition than about her job? Sara didn’t need more of these things, she needed her pizza, another beer and her bed. Somehow she felt tired and needed a place where she was alone and could hug her pillow. 

The first day of work was almost over when Sofia got called in her supervisor’s office. With a Hawaiian shirt and shorts Trop sat on the edge of his desk, a juice in his hands.   
“Captain?”  
“Detective, how was your first day of work?”  
“No dead body, I call this a good day.”  
“So do I. You went on where you left, Sofia. It was like you have never left.”  
“I took a few weeks off.” Sofia smiled.   
“Something like that. You know why I got you back?”  
“Because I’m a good detective, the best you could get.”  
“True. But that’s not all.”  
“I was a good CSI as well.”  
“You were. And I hope you’ll be a good Lieutenant.”  
“What?”  
“I got your application form for the lieutenant test here. You need to sign it where I made the X and in a few weeks you’ll be Lieutenant Curtis.”  
“Trop…”  
“No discussion, Detective. I won’t let you waste your talent. You get your name under the application, go home, learn for the test and I want to see you as a lieutenant by the end of the year. I didn’t get you here to be a homicide detective, I want you a homicide lieutenant and when the time is right I want you take another step towards captain. You’re here to be my replacement, Sofia. You have a few years until you sit behind this desk but you better make sure it won’t take too long. And that’s not a friendly request, it’s an order from your boss, do you understand, Detective?”  
“Yes, Sir!”  
“Go home.”  
“Yes Sir.”   
“And Detective?”  
“Yeah?” Sofia stopped in front of the door.   
“When one of my officers joins a competition like Miss Waikiki I expect her to win and make it very clear to the guys she’ll kick their nuts up their throat when they do something wrong. Don’t you dare to be a silly chuckling bitch.”  
“No, Sir.”  
“Out!”  
“Yes Sir!” With a laughter she left the office and ran straight into Flea.   
“Hello Beauty, are you running away from the boss or towards the wonderful evening?”  
“Both. I’m having a date.”  
“Who is the lucky one?”  
“My fitness coach. I need to get in shape for the Miss Waikiki competition.”  
“You should win this one without a problem. How was your first day back at work?”  
“No dead body.”  
“Because there is none or because you’re not good enough to find it?”  
“Hey!” She bopped him. “Don’t be cheeky.”  
“I saw your housemate, she did a good job.”  
“I didn’t expect anything less from Sara. Did you look after her?”  
“Of course. She should be fine.”  
“I hope so.” Sofia worried a bit about her housemate but hadn’t found the time and right moment to talk with her.   
“We take care of her. What time is the party on Friday?” Sara and Sofia had planed to make a welcome party the first weekend of work. First they wanted this party the weekend before their new jobs started but it felt strange to invite people you don’t know. After a week of working together the party was a better idea.   
“Seven. Some of us have to work on Saturday.”  
“Most of us. I’ll be on time. See you tomorrow morning, Vegas.”  
“It’s Honolulu now.”  
“It will always be Vegas, Vegas.” He sent her a wide grin. Moving to this city didn’t make her a Honolulu native. She was and would always be his Vegas girl. 

When Sofia came home the balcony was empty. She had expected Sara to sit here like she did most evenings. Her car had been in front of the garage, she was home. Maybe she had a little walk at the beach, a little swim. Not the worst idea when you came home from work and if Sofia didn’t have a shower before she’d go down to the beach and have a swim herself.   
The door to Sara’s living room was locked, she had to be away. Otherwise the door was always open. Sofia got her cell phone out of her pocket. The rang a few times before she went to voice mail. Swimming. The phone in her apartment or at the beach, away from Sara.   
In that case she would have something to eat. With her pineapple she went down to her kitchen and started preparing her dinner. Pineapple without chocolate because if she topped her fruit with the brown gold she could return to her work out program and do it all over again.   
“A passion fruit would be the better choice.”  
“Annie.” Sofia hadn’t heard her fitness coach opening the kitchen door. Quite poor for a detective who was supposed to be a lieutenant soon.   
“Four ounces of pineapple have ninety five calories while four ounces of passion fruits have only fifteen calories. Rhubarb would be better with eight.”  
“I can’t stand rhubarb.”  
“Healthy choice.”  
“What about chocolate?”  
“It’s to you what Bin Laden was to the whole country.”  
“Aren’t you overreacting?”  
“Do you want to know how many calories are in one bar?”  
“No.” She knew it. Too many. And every one tasted great.  
“You’re making great process, Sofia.” Annie stepped closer and let her hand ran softly over the cheek over the other woman. “There won’t be a problem for you to win when you go on like this.”  
“You think?”  
“I know.”  
“You told me a few months ago about the competition, about how great life in Honolulu is.”  
“It is. I’m glad you came back, we had some unfinished business.”  
“Did we?”   
“Yes, you know it as good as I do.” Sofia was caught between her kitchen table and Annie, who moved closer and closer. “You said it won’t make any sense because you go back to Vegas. This time you won’t go back.”  
“No, I won’t.”  
“This time we can move on.”   
Sofia felt how Annie’s hand got the skin of Sofia’s sides between her hands. Looked like there was some chocolate left. Or was it pizza? A beer? All three of them? Whatever it was, she knew tomorrow it was her job to make it disappear.   
“I can’t.”  
“Why?”  
“Because…Trop wants me to become a Lieutenant by the end of the year and I’ve to concentrate on it. He made it obvious I better don’t fail. Plus the competition, there won’t be time for anything else.”  
A loud noise from the outside followed by some swearing got their attention away from each other.   
“I’ve to check what that was, you know the detective thing.” It was Sara, Sofia had recognized the swearing.   
“You can ran but you can’t hide, Sofia. I will get you at one point.”  
“And the trophy.”  
“Both trophies.”  
Not sure if she liked being called a trophy Sofia opened the door and stepped into the darkness. No Sara. It sounded like she fell over the garbage can. Sofia better made sure her housemate was all right before she returned to her pineapples and her coach. 

Sara used the blanket to cover herself more to be not seen than because she felt cold. Shivering she closed her eyes and tried to get the pictures in her head away. So far she had ignored the knock on her door, didn’t want to see anybody. It wasn’t possible to hide her for the rest of her life, no matter how much she wanted to do this and nothing else.   
A hand was placed on her shoulder. Sofia had a key, she didn’t have to wait for Sara to open the door. Of course the detective would use it.   
“Gotcha.”  
Not willing to get her head away from under the blanket Sara stayed hidden.   
“Are hiding or feeling cold?”  
“I’m just tired.”  
“If you were tired you would go to bed. Don’t lie to me that obviously, Sara.”  
“Don’t you have a guest to entertain?”  
“She can entertain herself as she invited herself. Are you hurt? You fell over the garbage can.”  
“It didn’t hurt me.”  
In Sofia’s world this answer meant, nothing happened because of the garbage can but I’m hurt. Leaving her shoes on the floor she lay next to the other woman and pulled her into her arms, ignoring the little fight Sara tried.   
“How was your first day?”  
“Okay.”  
“Were they all nice to you?”  
“If not, are you going to kick their asses? That burns some calories.”  
“Wanna tell me what really pissed you off?”  
No, she didn’t. Swallowing hard Sara left her eyes closed, the only way to avoid the blue eyes, that lay on her.   
“I can see and feel something is wrong. What is it, Sara? What did I do wrong?”  
There were things she didn’t want to tell the detective. Things, she had to sort out herself, that shouldn’t be said out loud.   
“Didn’t we find out a few days ago that living together brings us closer? What happened that you withdraw yourself? What did I do wrong? Is it because of Annie?”  
“Since you made the decision you want to be Miss Waikiki I don’t recognize you anymore.”   
“Why?”  
“Because all you do is working out, counting calories and letting Annie take over your life.”  
“Success won’t come from nothing.”  
“You’re a cop and not a model!” Furious Sara jumped off the couch, making Sofia fall down. Like a tiger in a cage the CSI started pacing. “Is this woman so deep in your brain that you don’t realize what you’re doing? When you wear your bikini I can see your rips, Sofia. What you do isn’t healthy, isn’t smart, it’s not even beautiful. You start to look sick. And all you worry about is how many calories a pineapple has, that it makes you fat while a passion fruit has only whatever how many calories. Are you realizing that by starving yourself you not only damage your body but also your career? You’re a cop, you need to be strong. Go on like this and your body starts living on your muscles to keep working. Sooner or later you will break down but hey, you might be like seventy pounds and become Miss Skeleton. Wouldn’t that be fun?”  
Watching how Sara slammed the door behind her Sofia stayed on the floor. The words she just heard were harsh and at the same time she heard fear and desperation. Sara wasn’t only worried, she was scared. Looking down she saw how her skin over her belly looked like a little roll. Pure fat. That’s what Annie said. Pure fat that costs you the victory.   
On the other hand there was her stomach, telling her, it was time to eat something. How often did she ignore this call the last days? Every time? It was hard losing weight, she had managed five pounds in four days, she felt proud for every pound she lost. At the same time she knew Sara’s word were right. When she didn’t eat there was no energy for her body and she needed energy to chase suspects. Could another pound or two hurt?   
What hurt was the stone floor so she got up. Considering leaving the apartment and not continuing the conversation - or fight – she knew it was easier to go back to her apartment and leave Sara alone. But they had been so close since they moved to Honolulu. How was it possible that they could be this close, trust each other and out of the blue all this was gone?   
Sighing she pushed the idea of going back into her apartment away and went to Sara’s bedroom door. Knocking, waiting for an answer that didn’t come, she stood for a minute in front of the door. Then she opened it. Darkness greeted her. Knowing her way without light Sofia was fast at the bed, sat down and looked with her hand for Sara, finding her under the blanket, trembling.   
“When you tell me now straight in my face you don’t want me here I will go. If you don’t say a word I stay.” Waiting for a reaction the brunette never stopped stroking the blanket, hoping some of the heat of her hand would go through and reach Sara. When there wasn’t an answer she once more lay next to her, got under the blanket and spooned her friend, who still trembled and little sobs escaped her mouth.   
“We can stay here quietly if you want. I can hold you, you can talk or we will just stay like this and fall asleep at one point.” Offerings, no requests. Pushing the investigator would be wrong and Sofia didn’t have the power and strength for another fight. Nor could she bear to see Sara again like she did in the living room. It torn her heart, made her feel sick to the guts and hate herself.   
“I didn’t sleep the last nights.”  
Sofia was afraid that something like that had happened. Sara had looked tired.   
“You can come to me when you can’t sleep.”  
“I’m an adult, I’m supposed to be able to sleep in my bed.”  
“As an adult you’re also supposed to know when it’s smarter to get some help instead of suffer alone. Friends are there for helping each other.”  
“You have other things on your mind.”  
“I’ve a lot of things on my mind, that doesn’t mean you’re not on my mind. Look, I’m sorry that I wasn’t here when you came home. Our first day at the new job, I should have been here right away.”  
“You did what you had to do.”  
“Do you think the competition is more important to me than you are?” This question could clarify a lot. It was a question that could give Sofia an answer she was afraid of.   
“It seems like the competition is more important than anything else right now.”  
“It’s not.”   
“Are you sure?”  
Yes, she was sure. And she knew she didn’t behave like it. The last days she behaved like there was nothing else than the competition.   
“You know about my dream when I was a teenager.”  
“Is your teenager dream more important than the dream you have as an adult? Do you want to endanger your career for this competition? When you win, will you not feel like your missed something out when you were young? Do you believe it can give you something to be happy, not to be sad because your mother denied your wish? Can it give your something that’s long gone?”  
“It shows me I’m still beautiful.”  
“You were beautiful.”  
“Were?”  
“Yes, were. What you are now isn’t beautiful anymore. It’s sick, it’s wrong. Somebody once said you can’t fit a size eight foot in a size six shoe. We’re humans and not living Barbie dolls. Do you remember the case we had about the man who was found beheaded on train tracks? His unnatural waist? We’re humans, not bees. We’re supposed to have curves and not look like somebody tied a huge rope around us and strangled us.”  
“I’m not a size zero.”  
“No, you’re working on that. And it will look disgusting.”  
“You’re not very sensitive.”  
“I’m honest. You’re a perfect ten.”  
“No Miss Waikiki is a ten.”  
“No cop is a size zero. What’s more important?”  
“So you say I should forget the competition?”  
“No, I say you make the decision what’s most important to you. It’s your life, you choose.”  
Sofia was quiet for a while. She always wanted to be a Miss, it has been a dream. Being the most beautiful woman. Being beauty was important. She liked the fact that she turned a lot of heads, that men wanted to do a lot to please her.   
“You are more important than the competition, my career is more important. Trop made me sign a paper for the lieutenant test. He wants me to become a lieutenant until the end of the year and in a few years I’m supposed to be his replacement.” Saying these things to Sara made Sofia proud. Her boss wanted her to become the next boss, he saw a cop in her, that was capable to lead a team, a whole division. She was wanted for what she made out of herself, not for something she got from her parents. It wasn’t the good DNA she inhered, it wasn’t the daughter of Captain Curtis he wanted on his chair, it was her, Sofia. The woman she made herself. The woman, who worked to be where she was.   
“He trusts you, knows you’re a great cop.”  
“I am.”  
“You made yourself a great cop.”  
“My mother made me become a cop.”  
“Yes, she pushed you, she wants you to become a captain but it’s up to you to make her wish come true. And it will only work out when you want it too. You want a career, Sofia. That’s why you left the CSI lab.”  
“They took away my career there.”  
“Yes, Ecklie did.”  
“Now I can become a boss, get the credit I deserve for being good.”  
“You’re one of the best cops I’ve ever worked with.”  
“Thanks.” A loud sound like a lion’s groan came from Sofia’s stomach.  
“Somebody is hungry.”  
“Yeah. Somebody is too lazy to get up.”  
“I’m hungry too so I could get you something. There are sandwiches in the fridge, if you can live with a sandwich that has slightly more than thirty calories you’re more than welcome to have one.”  
“Thirty one is okay too.”  
“How about steak sandwich?”  
“More than thirty one, I guess thirty three…and the best food for a cop.” Sofia smiled. “If you get the sandwiches I’ve a look if my apartment is empty and lock the door.”  
“What if it’s not empty?”  
“I invite her to the steak sandwich.”  
“That will scare her away.” Sara laughed.   
“Yes, the army of evil calories.” She pulled Sara in her arms for a second and kissed her cheek. “I want to be a cop, that’s more important than a Miss Waikiki. Besides, before I was on a three hundred calorie diet there were a lot of men who tried to get me.”  
“Every smart man doesn’t waste a look on a woman who looks like a pink skeleton.”  
“A smart man picks a woman with a smart brain.”  
“Exactly. Nuts are a very good nutrition for your brain.”  
“Get the sandwich or I’ll sink my teeth in you.”  
“That’s definitely more than thirty calories.” Sara got up and switched on the light. Hiding in her room to avoid a conversation that meant trouble or upset her was something she did when she was younger. Now, as a grown up woman, she should be able to handle problems in another way. Tonight was a step back but lucky for her, Sofia cared enough to come after her, to stay and talk to her.   
It wasn’t like she wanted to annoy the detective, if this competition made her happy she should go there and join it. But Sara worried. She worried a lot about Sofia. More than she wanted, more than she felt comfortable with. And she missed her. The last nights, when she was awake in bed, she missed having the other woman around. She missed being in her arms or hold her. Her bed was too big and too lonely. Feelings she didn’t want, feelings that scared her.   
When she came home this evening and saw Sofia with Annie in the kitchen, how the blonde got closer and closer to the former blonde, Sara felt sick. It wasn’t like she thought Annie wasn’t good enough for Sofia…okay, that was exactly what she thought! And she felt something like jealousy. She was her Sofia, her friend, and somebody who was obviously bad for her, hurt her, wasn’t supposed to be that close to her. Wasn’t supposed to be in her life.   
“Are you making the sandwiches fresh?”  
Surprised Sara dropped the mayonnaise. She hadn’t heard Sofia return.   
“No, I…I want some mayonnaise on mine, what about you?”  
“No, thanks. I prefer barbecue sauce with the steak.”  
“Okay.”  
“You thought for a second I don’t want any sauce because they have too many calories.”  
“It crossed my mind, yes.” Why deny something that was written all over her face?  
“Sara, this sandwich has more calories than I’m supposed to consume the whole day, probably two days. When I eat it, I want the whole deal and not only the salad.”  
“A salad leaf could be your thirty calories.”  
“I want the steak too. You bought it especially for me, my lovely vegetarian. Means, I will eat it.”  
“Was your apartment empty?”  
“Yes. Looking after you instead of staying in the kitchen didn’t make me very popular.”  
“Made you top of my list, if that counts in any way.”  
“In every way.” Sofia hugged Sara. “It means a lot to me that you worry, that you’re scared. I know you can’t understand why it’s important to me to join this competition, it might be childish, I don’t know. But there are things that are more important to me than the competition and you are one of these things. You see me as a person and not as a trophy.”  
“A trophy?”  
“Yes. Annie called me a trophy. One she will get, sooner or later.”  
“Really?”  
“In your dream everything is possible. Now, do I get my sandwich or do I have to bite into you?”  
“Couch?”  
“Bed? You’re tired, when you fall asleep you can stay where you are, I tuck you in and make sure, you will sleep like a baby and wake you up in the morning.”  
“Thanks.” Sara smiled. If Sofia was a trophy she won the trophy tonight. And she had no intention to give it away – especially not to Annie! 

“It’s after five, will you leave your desk and move your ass out of the department?” Sofia sat on the edge of Sara’s desk.  
“I need to…”  
“You’re not on a hot case, you need to grab your things and come with me.”  
“Aren’t you supposed to go to your sport? Work out, lose a lot of calories and learn how to walk on a stage? Hasn’t Annie a tight schedule for you?”  
“I’m sure she has, the problem for her is, I want to spend my time with you. I want you to come with me to the beach, work out with me.”  
“Work out? No, thanks.”  
“Beach volleyball.”  
“Since when does a Miss Waikiki do beach volleyball?”  
“I’m a detective and I’ve two colleagues who will join us. Come on, don’t let the guys wait.”  
“Sara, are you done?” A young woman with longish black hair came into the room. “Oh sorry, I didn’t know you have a visitor. Hello detective.”  
“Hi Alex.” Sofia knew the black haired investigator, she had worked several cases with her when she was here the last time.   
“Alex and me wanted to go to the beach and have a cocktail. That beats your idea.”  
“Why not having a combination of both? Alex, can I get you for some beach volleyball?”  
“Uhm…I’m not sure…”  
“Come on, Flea and Felix will come too, even Flea’s better half. When we find two more we can play a little tournament. You can play with our sunshine Felix while I play with grumpy Sara.”  
“Grumpy Sara? Bite me, Curtis.”  
“No, thanks. Alex?”  
“Okay.”  
“See, get your lazy off the chair and get out of here.”  
“You’re annoying.” Sara rolled her eyes, shut down her computer and followed Sofia and Alex. All right, she would come with them to the beach and play beach volleyball. Not that she was a huge fan of this sport, she preferred surfing but why not? One match and she’d sit down with her cocktail and watch the other play or the sunset. 

Crashing down in the sand, landing hard on your chin and eating sand wasn’t what Sofia liked about beach volleyball. It happened the third time to her today  
“Fuck!”  
“Told you, you’d eat sand, Vegas.”   
“One more word and I kick your ass, Flea.”  
“From where you are my sexy ass is even more out of reach for than it is all the other time. Down there you can threaten the ants, nobody else.”  
“Arrogant bastard.”  
“Winner of the match.”  
“Bite me.”  
“Don’t offer strangers to get this close to you.” Sara offered Sofia her hand. “They might take the offer and you regret it.” She pulled the other woman up.  
“We lost.”  
“We don’t have a victory but we have ourselves.”   
“True.”  
“See. Come on, time for a cocktail. There’s a strawberry vanilla one waiting.”  
“Medicine for the heart.”   
“Yeah, do and lick your wounds, we’ll kick somebody else’s ass.” Flea laughed.  
“How can a lovely man like Sam be in love with somebody like you?”  
Flea’s arm got around Sam, who was a head smaller but had at least thirty pounds on his boyfriend. When Sofia met Sam the first time he reminded her of a teddy bear. He and Flea were an usual couple and the best evidence that opposites could be attracted to each other. “I’m adorable and a winner. Alex, Felix, your turn.”  
“Kick his ass, please.” Sofia said to Felix.  
“We do our best.”  
“Good.” With her new cocktail Sofia made herself comfortable next to Sara on a bench. They got one of the volleyball fields close to the ocean and not too far away from a cocktail bar. Here on the beach they were only allowed to drink non alcoholic drinks but as long as they were playing it was better to stay sober anyway.   
“Maybe next time we should have a surfing competition.”  
“Sofia, your talents on the surf board are even worse than mine with the volleyball. You need another team member the next time and you will win.”  
“I like my team member.”   
“Thanks.”  
“Fun is more important than winning.”  
“True. It’s a lot of fun.” Sara was glad she gave in and joined them for the game. After a long day in the lab it felt good to have the sunshine on your skin, work out with joy and be with some people you like. “Do you want a volleyball field in the garden?”  
“No. We can play here. If we have a volleyball field in the garden there won’t be space for anything else.”  
“I don’t believe it!”   
Sara and Sofia looked at the left. There was Annie, staring at Sofia and her cocktail. “You skip the work out and you drink that? Do you know what you’re doing? Have you any idea how many calories one of the sips have?”  
“A few.”  
“A few? It’s a cocktail.”  
“A cocktail with cream.” Sara added dryly, getting her arm around Sofia’s shoulders. “And in case we ever win a match I buy her a trouble choc orgasm.”   
“Triple choc orgasm? Oh my god! That’s pure satisfaction. It’s the dream that became cocktail reality. We need to share this one.”  
“Why? I’m not that much into chocolate.”  
“Honey, a shared orgasm is always better than one you have alone. Don’t you know that?” Sofia blinked at Sara.   
“I’m aware of that.”   
“You ruined a whole week of exercise. And what for? For nothing. I can practically see how you get fatter with every sip.” Annie’s eyes were still on the cocktail.  
“I see her getting more and more beautiful with every sip. One of us has a problem with her eyesight.” Sara was in a mood to fight and she wasn’t willing to listen to the bullshit Annie was giving them. And she was damned if she let the blonde woman talk Sofia into throwing away her cocktail and starting the ridiculous diet again.   
“Probably your eyes don’t work anymore because you can’t see through your fatty eyes. Are you nine months pregnant?”  
“Careful, Annie.” Sofia’s voice was cold. “She’s my CSI when I’m working and my friend all the time. I don’t like it when people hurt or offend my friends.”  
“Sometimes the truth hurts. Do you want to end like her, Sofia?”  
“You mean, do I want to be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met? I don’t think I’ll ever be as beautiful as Sara is but I want to be the second beautiful woman.”  
Sara felt how her face blushed. “Thanks.”  
“The truth and nothing but the truth.”  
“The sugar and fat makes you lose contact with reality. She isn’t beautiful, she is fat.”  
“You better get your skinny ass away or the volleyball knocks you out accidentally.” Flea had stopped the game.   
Annie gave him a good look over. His muscles shone under the light sweat, he looked like a bodybuilder who made a little break after a hard workout. “That you have no idea about women isn’t new, that you are into meatballs is a shame.”  
“I beg your pardon.” Too calm for the assault of his boyfriend, Flea’s eyes changed to ice.   
“You better go, Annie.” Sofia said.   
“Looks like you prefer to stay with the fat group. No wonder you didn’t make it to a Miss. You’re too weak to win. And too fat.” The volleyball hit her on her head hard and knocked her off her feet.   
“Ups, sorry. I guess I really don’t have much talent.” Felix smiled way too innocent.   
“That was an assault.”  
“No, that is bad talent, you should know about that.” Flea took the ball in his hands. “I can teach him how to play volleyball, I don’t know anybody who can help you.”  
Annie shot evil looks at all of them, let her eyes hang on Sofia for a second longer, turned and walked away.   
“Since when can you hit a spot you aim, Felix?” Sofia asked.   
“When you put enough feelings and anger in it the ball finds its destination all by itself. Do I Alex and me get an extra point for that?”  
“You get five extra points which put you ahead of Sam and me. Something we’ll make right, don’t we Honey?”  
“Sure.”   
“We won’t give up, we will fight. Alex, be my Xena.”  
“I didn’t know Xena played volleyball.”  
“She was a fighter and won, it doesn’t matter in which area.” They returned to the field and continued their game.   
“You know that Annie is wrong, don’t you?” Sofia asked.   
“About what?”  
“About calling you fat.”  
“There are two or three pounds more than it’s good on my waist, I keep them for bad times. Plus it was really a lot of fun putting them on. It’s my Heineken baby.” Sara put her hand on her belly.   
“You’re perfect the way you are.”  
“I’m not perfect but I’m happy with myself. Are you happy with yourself?”  
“The last weeks I was a little bit strange, lost contact with reality when it came to my and my body but I think I’m on a good way. Especially when I get the triple choc cocktail.”  
“This stuff must glue your guts together.”  
“No, it puts a huge choc smile on your face. We share it and we deserve one, no matter if we win or not.”  
“We won already. Annie is gone, she’s mad and will have a headache. That’s a homerun.”  
“Yes.” Sofia laughed. “Felix hit the bulls eye.” Flea might be the more dangerous looking one with all his muscles but Felix didn’t hesitate and fought when he thought somebody deserved a good smack. And having his little crush on Sofia everybody who insulted the detective deserved in his eyes a good smack. 

“I feel like a huge cocktail.” Sofia dropped on her couch.   
“You had four.”  
“Yes and I enjoyed every one.”  
“That’s good.” Sara sat down.   
“Do I look pregnant? Cocktail pregnant?” Sofia pulled up her shirt and checked her belly. “Not really.”  
“No, still flat.” Sara let her index finger run over Sofia’s skin and stopped on the left hip bone. “This place needs two or three more triple choc cocktails.”  
“That’s no fair to the one on the other side.”  
“Give it three cocktails too.”  
“That are six. You know each of these cocktails has enough calories to be a full lunch?”  
“I couldn’t care less because each of them puts a smile on your face like it’s Christmas.”  
“Christmas…we’ll have tropical Christmas this year. Do we get a Christmas tree or a Christmas palm tree?”  
“What do you want?”  
“Both.”  
“Then we get both.”   
“Great.” Sofia pulled Sara in her arms. “Why don’t we rest a few minutes before we get ready for bed? You haven’t tried my bed.”  
“Is that an invitation?”  
“Yes.”  
“Don’t you think I should try to sleep alone in my bed?”  
“No! We shared your bed the last two nights, you can’t start a week with sharing beds and then stop right in the middle. The rule says you have to finish the week.”  
“The rule? Which rule?” Sara laughed.   
“The sharing your bed rule.”  
“How can you make up rules that make no sense?”  
“They make perfectly sense to me.”  
“I see.” Sara closed her eyes. “I think Annie removed your name from the Miss Waikiki list.”  
“Probably.”  
“Is that okay for you?”  
“Worse things happened to me. We can use the evening for something else, a barbecue for example. That’s more fun than walking around a stage and smile foolish the whole time.”  
“You don’t smile foolish, you have a beautiful smile.”  
“And you are beautiful.”  
“That shocked Annie.”  
“With the right glasses she’ll see I’m right.”  
“I think she’s blind on this eye.”  
“Not our problem.”   
Sara pulled Sofia in her arms. Right now she could fall asleep like this. 

It was the first time Sara really worked overtime since she was in Honolulu. Twelve hours and the case was closed, a man who killed an elderly woman for only twenty dollars was off the streets and behind bars. A long and hard day, that ended the way it was supposed to end.   
Leaving her bag in the kitchen, kicking her shoes in a corner, she changed into shorts and top before she stepped out on the balcony. At the end of the balcony was Sofia standing, apparently in deep thoughts because she didn’t react when Sara stepped out.   
They hadn’t worked together, so far there had been only two cases they shared. Most times Sara was with Flea, letting the Hawaiian man show her all she had to know about the island and the people. There were judges she had to meet, lawyer she had to avoid and journalists that sometimes made their life harder. Plus all the people in the lab she met, had to remember names and what they worked. So many new things, sometimes it felt like it was too much but she knew, in a couple of weeks she would be fine and sorted out.   
Leaving the thoughts of work behind Sara’s eyes went back to Sofia. It was still a little bit strange that the former blonde was a brunette now. All these years Sofia had been blonde, seeing her with her natural hair color was unusual. It suited her, no doubt about that. Probably there was nothing that doesn’t suit her, Sofia was…Sara felt stupid when she thought this, but Sofia was beautiful.   
And she became more and more important to her. Sara’s nightmares, Sofia’s diet that got out of hands, these things made them grow tighter and tighter. And Sara liked that. She liked the fact that she fell asleep next to Sofia and woke up next to her. When the detective was gone in the evening because she took some special training hours for her lieutenant test, Sara missed her. More than she wanted, more than she thought was good for her.   
God, this woman turned her world upside down.   
Out of the blue there was this urge to hug the detective again. The last days this feeling appeared quite frequently, confusing and sometimes even scaring Sara. This wasn’t her, this felt so strange. At the same time it felt good too. Quietly she stepped behind Sofia and embraced her.   
As soon as Sofia realized it was Sara who was behind her, she relaxed.   
“Hey, you’ve been working overtime.”  
“Yes. Sometimes this happens in paradise.”  
“Are you all right?”  
“A little bit tired.”  
“There’s dinner for you, I had no idea how long you stay away so I ate without you. Yes, I did eat.”  
“I didn’t say a thing.”  
“No, you didn’t. But you worried I skipped dinner. I didn’t. Eating dinner isn’t as much fun as it used to be but I’m working on it. Bite by bite I like it more.”  
“Good to hear.” Sara buried her face in Sofia’s hair, smelled the shampoo. Being with her, being so close to her, made her relax, made her feel safe, happy, like nothing could ever happen to her as long as she was with Sofia. And it created little butterflies in her stomach that got very active.   
“Do you have the day off tomorrow?”  
“Yes. The case is closed I can stay at home. What about you?”  
“Same. Trop wants me to have some time to prepare for the test. He said, he doesn’t want me to just pass, he wants me to be the best. A lot of pressure.”  
“Can you handle the pressure?”  
“Sometimes it scares me, it makes me wonder if I’m really that good, if I will disappoint him. Fact is, when this is over I’ll sleep better.”  
“You’re a little bit tensed, I can feel that.”  
“Nothing to worry about.”  
“Mhm.” Sara remembered the spot between the shoulder blades where she kissed Sofia once and the detective relaxed immediately. Moving the long brown hair away with her face she found the spot and kissed it again.   
“You remember the spot.” Some of the tension fell off Sofia right away.   
“Yes.” Holding Sofia tight with her left arm and caressing the belly softly with the right hand, Sara continued to kiss the spot. With each kiss, with each stroke, Sofia relaxed more and Sara felt also more comfortable.   
“You can go on like this the whole night if you want, it feels good. I might start to purr at one point.”  
“I didn’t know I’ve a little kitten in the house.”   
“Black panther, please.”  
“Sure. You’re a little kitten, not a dangerous panther, get real Sofia.”  
“I’m very dangerous.”  
“Of course.”   
“I am.” Sofia turned without leaving Sara’s arms. “You have no idea…” The rest of the sentence was carried away by Sara’s gently kiss. Sofia’s lips so close to her own, having her in her arms, smelling her, drowning in the blue eyes, all these things leaded to this kiss. Something Sara wanted to do for a while but was too scared to do, even to admit it to herself. It was wrong, at least she thought so. The moment when her lips touched Sofias she knew, it was right.   
Holding on to her, not separating their lips, Sara started to push Sofia back into the apartment. Watching the sunset and having dinner were things that could wait. There was something much better on her mind – and on her lips. 

Waking up next to Sara wasn’t something new for Sofia. Waking up next to her and wearing nothing was new. Feeling the skin of the other woman on her own, she smiled and turned to have a look if the dark brunette was awake. Sound asleep. So cute.   
Pulling Sara deeper in her arms Sofia was glad that they both had the day off. The sun was up, it was way after getting time if they had to work and she felt like spending the whole day in bed. Next to Sara. In Sara’s arms. Kissing Sara. Twenty four hours ago she had no idea how close she was to this. Like she had no idea what Sara felt for her. Yes they were close, yes they spent the night together in one bed but it never happened anything. Didn’t look like anything would ever happen.   
When Sara stepped behind her, embraced her, it felt like her heart was riding the wildest and fasted roller coaster in the world. Adding kisses, especially on this special spot, made her almost lose contact with reality. If she hadn’t leant onto Sara, she had fell down. Her knees were pure jelly, that she managed to turn was a wonder she couldn’t understand. Turned to be kissed.   
Somehow they made it to Sofia’s bed, never breaking the kiss. Finally able let themselves fall, not wasting energy on keeping them on their feet, they took more time for more kissing, let their hands discover each other, stroking, holding, touching. There wasn’t a time, there wasn’t a universe, there were only them and nothing else existed anymore.   
Not able to resist the lips that were so close to her own, Sofia bent a little bit forward and kissed Sara. A little smile appeared on the face of the investigator and the kiss was responded.   
“You look so peaceful when you’re asleep.”  
“I slept very good.” Sara’s eyes opened slowly. Deep hazel brown eyes met deep blue eyes. In a comic there had been hearts all over their faces.   
“Good. No nightmare in a new bed?”  
“There was no time nor place for nightmares.”  
“True.” Sofia slipped on Sara and kissed her. She could continue like this for the rest of the day, the rest of her life. Who needed work when you could kiss a woman like Sara?   
“Since when are you awake?”  
“Only a few moments. I’m glad we don’t have to get up early today.”  
“Do we have to get up at all?”  
“No, no we don’t. I like the idea of spending the day with you in bed.”  
“Good. I don’t feel like leaving the bed or your arms.”  
“What do you feel like?”  
“This.” Sara pulled Sofia closer and kissed her, her tongue gently asking for entrance and when it was permitted, she let her tongue dance with Sofias. Who needed a world outside when in your own world you could kiss Sofia? 

“You know what we haven’t done for a while?” Sofia asked after she finished dressing herself up.   
“Kissing?” Sara bent over and kissed her girlfriend. Aaah! Girlfriend! She wasn’t kissing the annoying and smug blonde detective, she kissed the beautiful, sensitive, brunette future lieutenant. One evening could change so many things and Sara was still not completely sure if she was awake or dreaming. Was this real? Were she and Sofia really…a couple? Was she this lucky?   
“Yes, the last kiss has been a while – like a minute.”  
“This long? I think I need a second one to handle the shock.”  
“You’re cute.” Sofia smiled and snuggled into Sara’s arms. Who would have thought that the first so rude, unfriendly and abrasive investigator could fall in love with her? Wasn’t she a lucky woman?   
“And hungry. Why don’t we go to the little take away around the corner and get us some lunch? We can ask Barbara if she wants something too. I haven’t seen her for a few days.”  
“It’s eleven, the best time to see her.”  
“You’re after her tea and cookies.”  
“Biscuits, my dear. They’re scones.”  
“In proper English they’re cookies.”  
“Sure.” Sofia took Sara’s hand and pulled her down the stairs. She could hold hand with her girlfriend.   
They found Barbara in her kitchen, the kettle in her hand.   
“Oh, you’re at home.”  
“Yes, a day off.”  
“And just in time for a cup of tea. What a coincidence.”  
“More or less. We skipped breakfast and were about to go to the take away around the corner and wanted to ask you if you want something too.” Sofia smelled the freshly brewed tea. Like in her grandmother’s home.   
“I’ve a stew on the oven, why don’t you eat this with me?”  
“No, we get something from the take away, don’t worry.”  
“Sara, I don’t worry about food. There’s enough for all of us. Or do you want something else because there are sausages inside.”  
“I can give them to Sofia.”  
“Wonderful. Have a seat, I get you some tea.” Sara and Sofia took a seat on the bench. Immediately their hands connected.  
“Maybe the whole bag of biscuits is better than one, you are hungry. Oh no, wait, I’ve something better. Excuse me.” She left the tea on the table and vanished for a few seconds.   
“What do you think of a big slice of carrot cake?”  
“I love carrot cake.” Sofia said.   
“Take some, I made it yesterday.”  
“Wow.” She cut a slice for each of them. “Cake for breakfast, what a great way to start your day. Add a fresh cup of tea and the day has to be good.”  
“Are you used to English breakfast tea now, Sara?”  
“No, not really. A real cup of coffee is more my cup of tea.”  
“Everybody is different. Are you scared Sofia will run away?”  
“No, way?”  
“You hold her hand so tightly.” Barbara smiled.   
“There were two possibilities: I hold on to her hand or I sit on her lap. I considered this as the more formal way.”  
“She wants me as close as possible. Let me take the biscuit away from you.” With fast fingers Sofia stole the little biscuit next to Sara’s cup of tea.   
“You’re thief.”  
“No, I’m a trader.”  
“What do you trade for my cookie?”  
“Biscuit. You get a kiss later.”  
“Never put something good on hold when you can it immediately.” Barbara advised.   
“I considered it as not formal to kiss her at the table.”  
“Sometimes you have to let go of the protocol.”  
“Don’t tell the Queen.” Sofia kissed Sara.   
“Since when are you more than housemates?”  
“Last night. And I could kiss her the whole time, am I not having the most beautiful girlfriend on this planet?”  
“No, that’s me. I’ve the most beautiful girlfriend on this planet.” Sara corrected.   
“No, your girlfriend needs some more cake, cocktails and chocolate so she puts on some weight.”  
“You gave up your diet? A very healthy choice.”  
“Otherwise I wouldn’t eat carrot cake. It was stupid, I still have these diet ideas on my mind, count calories, but I’m working on forgetting them. With Sara’s help I will get over it.”  
“The stew will help you too.”  
“I thought something like that. Do you have ice cream?”  
“No, only cake.”  
“Cake is breakfast, I need ice cream for dessert.”  
“You stay!” Sara stopped Sofia from getting up. “I go and get it.”  
“Sara, I…”  
“You stay!”  
“Why? Do you think I wanna leave and throw up?”  
“Don’t be stupid. Please. Let me go.”  
“Okay, if it makes you happy.”  
“Thanks.” Sara stroke softly over Sofia’s cheek and left the kitchen.   
“Why are you angry, Sofia?” Barbara took a sip of her tea.   
“I’m not angry…”  
“You think she wants you to stay because she doesn’t trust you.”  
“I never did that, throwing up after I ate something. The last days I was a poor eater, it was wrong but I never threw up.”  
“Did you consider that Sara has something else on her mind why she wants to go herself?”  
“Like what?”  
“You’re in love, it’s new, it’s special, maybe she wants to get you a special treat? She knows what you like, what if she wants to get you something nice for dinner? Or a bottle of wine you can share later on the balcony, watching the ocean arm in arm. Think romantic, Sofia, not paranoid. She is in love with you, she wants you happy and not upset.”  
“You think?”  
“Honey, I’ve been married for over thirty years, I can remember the first time my husband and I were together. He loved to sneak away to get me little surprises. Give your girlfriend some credit.”  
“I overreacted.” Sofia sighed.   
“Yes.”  
“Shall I leave and get her something? As an apology?”  
“No, you can show her that you’re sorry, no need to buy something. I’m sure she prefers a kiss more than a flower.”  
“Hopefully.” It had been a while that she was in a relationship, maybe she needed to get used to it again. 

The two person hammock was one of the best new things in their apartments. It gave Sara and Sofia the chance to share a hammock, having enough space and more comfort.   
“Are you nervous?” Sara played with Sofia’s hair. Tomorrow was the first test for the lieutenant rank.   
“Yes. I can feel a lot of pressure.”  
“Trop won’t bite your head off if you don’t make it.”  
“No, he won’t but I will be very mad with myself. I put a lot of work into it, it’s a chance I don’t want to miss out. It’s a long way to become a captain.”  
“You will make it, you’re a natural leader.”  
“Am I? The last weeks I showed a lot of weakness, not the best presuppose for a captain.”  
“We are all weak or unsure at some points. It’s human.”  
“I’m supposed to be a captain, not a human.”  
“Every cop is a human with mistakes and weaknesses.” Sara kissed the hair of her lover. It amazed her how Sofia could be so self-assure, so smug during her work and so vulnerable when she was at home.   
“Will you be disappointed when I don’t make it?”  
“Sofia, if it’s for me, you can stay a detective for the rest of your life, become a CSI again or do something entirely different. Your occupation has nothing to do with my feelings towards you. I love you, no matter how you earn your money. When you tell me tomorrow you skipped the tests and applied at a cocktail bar as a waitress that’s okay for me. As long as it makes you happy what you’re doing it’s what I want.”  
Sofia kissed Sara. “I love you.”  
“Now that’s something I care about a lot.”  
“That’s something that won’t change. How could I…” The cell phone of the detective rang. With a sigh she put it up from the little chair next to the hammock. “Yes?”  
“Honey, are you prepared?”  
“Yes mom.” Of course her mother. Probably her mother was more excited than Sofia was. Captain Curtis wanted her daughter to be a captain maybe more than Sofia wanted it herself. Being a member of a traditional cop family put pressure on everybody’s shoulders.   
“How do you feel?”  
“I’m excited.”  
“You did all the preparation?”  
“No, I never wasted a thought of it and if you haven’t called, I had forgotten about it.”  
“Don’t be cheeky, young Miss.”  
“Stop treating me like I’m a baby.” She was so far away from her mother and still it was like the older woman tried to interfere with her life. The kindergarten time was over, Sofia made her own decisions.   
“I worry.”  
“You don’t have to worry, I’m fine.”  
“Do you have something to occupy your mind?”  
“Yes.”  
“Is Sara with you?”  
“Of course, she’s always with me.” Sofia blinked at her girlfriend. So far she hadn’t told her mother that Sara and she were a couple. It was enough when her mother thought about the lieutenant test all the time, she didn’t need her being all over her relationship as well.   
“What about Christmas?”  
“We have to work on Christmas but we’ll celebrate after work with Barbara.”  
“Your father and I have the week between Christmas and the new year off, we booked a flight to Hawaii today. After our daughter never invited us.”  
“I have no idea when you have time, you’re always welcome, mother.”  
“We arrive on Christmas Eve. Shall we look for a hotel room or do you have a place for your parents in your apartment?”  
“You can have my whole apartment.”  
“You need a place to sleep too, especially when you have to work.”  
“I have a place to sleep, don’t worry. Sara and me get up the same time, we make her apartment the work place so you have all the time to relax and sleep in when you use my apartment.”  
There was silence at the other end for two or three seconds. “Are you and Sara a couple?” It wondered Sofia that her mother needed so much time to get to this. Usually the relationship of her daughter was something the captain paid a lot of attention to. The only explanation why it was different this time had to be the facts that Sofia was in another state and about to become a lieutenant.   
“Yes.”  
“Why didn’t you tell me?”  
“You never asked.”  
“I did now.”  
“And I answered.”  
“You always did that, you never told me when you were involved. I wonder how many relationships you had without telling me about them.”  
“A few dozen as I go to bed with everybody I meet.”  
“Sofia!”   
“Mom, I told you about all the serious ones. Whenever I was involved with somebody for a longer time, you met this person. If you haven’t asked about Sara today, I had told you when you were here Christmas. I don’t hide her, I’m not trying to keep her a secret. Why should I? She’s the most amazing person I’ve ever met.”  
“Give her to me.”  
“What?”  
“You heard me.”  
“I warn you, mother. If you try to scare her, interrogate her like a suspect or do anything else to make her feel uncomfortable, you’ll be in trouble with me and you won’t be welcome anymore for Christmas.”  
“Are you telling me not to visit you?”  
“I’m telling you to behave like a guest and not like a police captain. This isn’t your division, do you understand me?”  
“We need a serious conversation about how you treat your mother.”  
“Just the way she understand me best. And now I ask Sara if she wants to talk to you, if she doesn’t, you will accept that without holding it against her, understand? Because if the mother of my girlfriend would order her daughter to handle the phone over, I might not want to talk to her.” Sofia looked at Sara. “You’re free to say no.”  
Sara smiled. “It’s okay, give me your phone.”  
“She starts being not the way she’s supposed to be, end the call.”  
“I’ll be fine.” Sara took Sofia’s cell phone. “Good evening, Captain Curtis.”  
“Miss Sidle, how is Sofia?”  
“Annoyed.”  
“Good, that brings her in a good state of mind for tomorrow. Will you be there for her?”  
“Before and after the test, of course.”  
“Is it okay for you that my husband and me will come over for Christmas?”  
“Of course, you’re always welcome here. Sofia misses you even when she didn’t mention it.”  
“I know she does and so do I. Did you talk her out of joining the competition for Miss Waikiki? She talked a lot about it and suddenly she cancelled her attendance.”  
“There’s a possibility that I’ve something to do with that. Mostly she did this because she needs to concentrate on her test, being a lieutenant is more important to her than being Miss Waikiki.”  
“For a mother it’s important to know the spouse of her daughter cares about her, I can see it’s the case. I’m glad you’re with her and if she gives you a hard time don’t hesitate to call me. Sofia might be an adult but I can still give her lecture and honestly I think she needs one every now and then.”  
Now Sara had to laugh. “I’ll keep that in mind, thanks Captain. You raised a good child and you’ll be proud of your lieutenant daughter.”  
“I am already proud of her.”  
“She knows that. Do you want to talk to her again?”  
“No, I leave the two of you alone. Thanks for the little conversation.”  
“You’re welcome. We look forward to see you Christmas.” Sara ended the call. As soon as she put the phone on the chair, Sofia pulled her into her arms and kissed her.   
“You’re amazing.”  
“You mentioned that before.”  
“I love you.”  
“You can’t mention this too often.”  
“My mother likes you, I can tell.”  
“She needs to know her daughter is fine.”  
“Yeah, must be a mother thing. Shall we invite your mother as well?”  
Sara’s eyes became dark and Sofia regretted the question at same moment.   
“No, that’s not a good idea.”  
“Okay…I’m sorry, I didn’t want to…” All Sofia knew was that Sara’s father was dead, she had no information about her mother and Sara never mentioned her.   
“It’s okay, Sofia. We can talk about the reasons after your test. It’s not a nice story and I want you to have your head free. Become my brave lieutenant and we’ll talk about my mother, why she can’t come.   
“Okay. Sorry again.”  
“No need to be sorry. It’s nice to know you want my family here too. Under different circumstances it would be nice, so you have to be happy only with my presence.”  
“You are all I want, all I need.” Sofia kissed Sara gently. She was the only person she needed to be around, all other were welcome but Sara was a must have. 

Christmas has never been her favorite time of the year. Most times it was a time that made her very busy because all of her colleagues wanted to spend more time with their families, needed days off while the criminal loved this season for breaking in, robberies, assaults and killing. It has never been a quiet time to relax, think about what the year had given her and what the future may bring her. It never mattered thru everything was changed this year. Now Sara had not only bought a Christmas tree, she also bought two chains of lights, one for the tree and one for a palm tree, decoration and presents. Lots of presents. And there was Christmas music coming out of her stereo, really weird. So yes, she knew it was Christmas time after Band Aid reminded her around a dozen times about it.   
Because the spirit of Christmas had hit her she was in the mood to do something good for other people. Every time she left a shop she gave her change to a charity organization, that was most times close to all shopping centers.   
After setting up the Christmas tree and decorating the palm tree that was in her living room she checked the time. Almost lunch time, Sofia was at work and it was too early for herself to prepare some lunch. All she wanted was a snack to eat dinner with her lover later. Days off without the new lieutenant were a kind of wasted time but her boss insisted of her regular days off.   
With some cookies she went down to see if Barbara was at home. She found the elderly woman at her oven, preparing lunch.   
“Hi Sara, how was your shopping trip?”  
“Successful. One week until Christmas and our apartments look like Santa has been already there. Everything is set, decorated and the presents are under the tree.”  
“You put the presents already out?”  
“Sure. Only with them the Christmas picture is perfect and when you put them out on Christmas Eve you have barely time to look at them because they’re unwrapped a day later.”  
“You’ve got a point. I won’t offer you some tea as you’re not the biggest fan of it, but how about some Hawaiian coffee?”  
“The real Hawaiian coffee?” Greg’s favorite coffee? The expensive bag, he treated like a golden treasure?   
“Yes. I bought a packet for Christmas, it’s a special time and you need some special coffee for it.”  
“I can offer ordinary cookies for the coffee.”  
“How about some real lunch?”  
“It smells great and I’m sure it tastes fantastic but I want to eat with Sofia when she’s back home. So a few cookies will do.”  
“Your decision. Do you have all your Christmas presents?”  
“Yes. What about you?”  
“I got everything for the children, grandchildren and a few friends. The last thing that’s missing is something special for me.”  
“Do you have something special on mind?”  
“Yes.”  
“What is it?”  
“Something I need your and Sofia’s permission for.”  
“What’s that?”  
“I’d like to have a dog.”  
“Why do you need our permission for that?”  
“It’s your house, remember?”  
“Your apartment, what you have in there – as long as it doesn’t blew off the house – is your decision. What kind of dog?”  
“I’m not sure, I want to go to a shelter, have a look and let the dog choose me. A lot of people get dogs out of the shelter, buy them wherever and after a few days or week they send them back.”  
“Pets, that don’t get picked up by a new owner because they’re too old or sick get put down. Nobody, also no animal, should be killed because of age or a disease that might be treatable but cost some money.”  
“I agree on that. Would you mind if I accomplish you?”  
“Not at all. Do you want a pet too?”  
“I always wanted a dog or a cat.”  
“You can have both now.”  
“Yes.” Sara smiled. She had the space for a dog and a cat. “I’ve the space but not the time. A dog needs to get out more than once or twice a day.”  
“If your dog is nice to mine, I take it with me.”  
“Do you think I should talk to Sofia first?”  
“What do you think?”  
“As a nice girlfriend I should talk to her. If she doesn’t want a dog or a cat we need to find a compromise. If she does want to have one, she has to be involved in the decision. They will be like our baby.”  
“That’s the idea of a relationship.”  
“There are so many ideas of a relationship.”  
“A good relationship is hard work, didn’t you know that?”  
“My last relationship – with my former boss – had to be kept a secret – because he was my boss – and he wasn’t the kind of guy who is into social things. We’re both kind of unsure what to do, how to act right. This could be a reason why it didn’t work out, it was a reason why I was attracted to him. He focused on evidence, on work, on facts and not on these social stuff, that I never understood.”  
“It didn’t work out.”  
“No. Somehow…something changed in me. Since I’m with Sofia, no actually since we became friends, I realized it’s good to have people around, have them close, trust them. With her it’s worth to fight with all these little things you’re supposed to do when you’re involved. It’s good to worry, it’s good to surprise her with little things, to be kitschy. The only one I was emotional close to before was Greg and he…I miss him and I wish he were here.”  
“You’re very close.”  
“He’s like a brother, we talk every day or at least every second day on the phone and I can’t wait until he’s back here in January for our second Christmas party.”  
“He was a very nice man. What does Sofia say about you missing somebody else so much?”  
“If you have to betray me this obviously with somebody I’m glad it’s Greg. She knows how important he is for me, she isn’t jealous. I’ve more reasons to be jealous, she spends a lot of time with her colleagues and they’re all attractive men. One is interested in her, cute little Felix.”  
“I saw her only once or twice with her colleagues when they were here but she has only eyes for you, Sara. From the first time I met the two of you I knew, you have a special relationship. At that time you were still getting to know each other, getting comfortable around the other one.”  
“First we had big problems with each other, mostly because I acted stupid. Then we got along better, started spending some time after work together. She told me about her work here, when I got the job I told her former boss she wants to be here too and he sent her a text message she could have her old job back. She took it, we came here to have a look for apartments and you know the rest. We met, moved in and…whenever I needed somebody she was there.”  
“Like you were there for her, took care of her.”  
“This diet thing scared me. She risked her health for something…in my eyes stupid. Why is it important that a bunch of strangers think you’re beautiful?”  
“The human like to get boosts for their ego. It’s natural.”  
“I’d rather walk barefoot on broken glass than over a stage with people staring at me.”  
“You’re different in many ways but the same about the things that matters.”  
“We’re working on it. When is the pet shelter open? Can we have look there tonight after Sofia is back?”  
“Of course. I might go out shopping and get everything I need in case somebody finds me tonight.”  
“Do you have to take them home right away?”  
“No but it would break my heart to know my dog is behind bares instead with me.”  
“Understandable.” Sara smiled. Maybe she had a dog and a cat in twenty-four hours. If they would get along together? Or would they fight? Could she do anything to make them become friends? 

Sofia’s hand found Saras and squeezed it. They were in the pet shelter with Barbara and the sight of so many animals behind bats broke her heart. Dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, hamster and many more, all unloved, left by their former owner, some were taken to here, other just kicked out of the car, not caring if they survive alone outside, if somebody picks them up.   
“How can people do something like this?”  
“We see a lot of cruelty every day, things that people do to each other. This is another piece of evidence that there are a lot of heartless people out there.” Sara swallowed hard. All these sad eyes looking at her. Like they all wanted an explanation why they were here. What they did wrong to be thrown away.   
“I want them all.” Sofia bent down and petted a kitten, that couldn’t be older than three months. A baby.   
“Me too.” When Sara asked Sofia about the pet shelter, if she wanted to join Barbara and her and maybe could imagine to get a dog or/and cat too, the lieutenant didn’t hesitate for a second and agreed.   
“Are you looking for any particular animal?” A young man joined them.   
“I want all of them which isn’t possible.” Sofia sighed.   
“The look of them can break your heart, I know. It happens to me every day. If I could I would take them all home but that’s not possible, like you said, so I hope every day somebody will come here and takes one home. We’ve got two puppies, would you like to see them? They’re four months old.”  
“Babies.”  
“Yes.” He guided them to a cage with two puppies inside. Both were brown and asleep on a little blanket. Snuggling close to each other to give the other some comfort.   
“We found them in a river. Somebody threw them with their four siblings in a bag and the bag in a river. Their siblings drowned. In a few days is Christmas and people are capable of doing these kinds of things more often than we want to believe.”  
“Somebody should do the same with these people.” For Sara there was no different in killing an animal to killing a human. And when somebody was so heartless and tried to drown six puppies this person couldn’t be a good man or woman. Sooner or later this person would hurt human too.   
“They’re cute, they’re likely to find a new home, aren’t they?”  
“Yes.”  
“Do you have animals that are very unlikely to find a new owner? Animals that are…are on the list to be put down?” What a horrible idea, working here, hoping every day somebody would come and take the animals home while you had a list somewhere of animals that had to be put down to make more space. Sara didn’t want to think about it but she knew to give the puppies some space another animal had to die.   
“Yes.”  
“We’d like to see them, don’t we?”  
“Yes.” Sofia smiled a bit. As much as she liked a puppy, Sara was right, they were likely to find somebody else.   
“We have some dogs and cats that are here for a long time.”  
“Who’s likely not to make it to Christmas?”  
“Happy.” He opened a door to a room that was full of cats. All kinds, sizes and colors. They were sleeping, playing, watching them from a shelf, walking around their legs. Out of a box he lifted a gray cat. “That’s Happy. He’s seven, has been here for over a year and nobody has ever showed any interest in him. As you can see he has no special coloration, is no special race and he doesn’t try to get the attention of people.”  
“He’s blind.” Sara didn’t need long to see that the cat in front of her couldn’t see.   
“Yes. Somebody used chemicals on his eyes and since then he’s blind. We have to put him down next week, it’s too full here and nobody wants a blind cat.”  
“I do.” Sara looked at Sofia.   
“No, we do. This poor cat has suffered enough, to take his life for no reason isn’t fair. Happy. With this name he should be happy.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“Absolutely. He has been through a lot, he deserves a home. Can we have a dog with him?”  
“He is a loner, we have no idea how he reacts to dogs. But if you give both time I’m sure it will work out. Dogs and cats can get used to each other faster than you might think. I’ve two dogs and two cats and they never fight.”  
“We take Happy.” Sara knew she couldn’t let the cat here, knowing that in a week he was dead.   
“You hear that, Buddy? You get a home, isn’t that great?”  
“And a dog brother or sister. Do you have another Happy?”  
“We do. Unfortunately.” He put Happy back in his box, stroke his fur softly before he turned and guided them back to the dogs. In front of a cage with a dog whose breed was impossible to tell, he stopped. “Rudy!” The head of the dog got up when he heard his name. “You’ve got visitors, come here.” Obeying the dog got up and showed why he was another hopeless case. One leg was missing. A mix between walking and jumping got him to the front of the cage. The left front leg was missing.   
“He’s nine months, was born like this, we found him tied to our front gate months ago. Probably because of his leg, he’s a nice guy, very friendly but when people see he’s only three legs, they lose interest. Some children even started crying when they saw him. When we can’t give him a new home until Christmas he won’t make it to New Years Eve.”  
“Nine months, he’s a puppy.”  
“On the edge to become an adult, yes. If you can’t give them a home as a puppy, you can’t give them one when they’re older. That’s the rule.”  
“Sara?”  
“I think we found our dog.”   
“I think so too. A blind cat and a dog with only three legs, we should change our jobs from law enforcement to charity.” Sofia kneed next to Rudy and petted him. Now that they made their pick it was better to leave fast otherwise they were at risk to take more pets home and both knew, they didn’t have time for more. 

“Rudy likes his new home.” Sofia watched Sara playing with Rudy. Both were on the floor, fighting for a little rope. It seems like the young dog didn’t have any problems to get used to his new home. First Sara and Sofia wanted to take him and Happy home the next day, then they couldn’t stand the idea they had to stay another night in the shelter. They weren’t homeless anymore, they had a home and should be there as soon as possible. Like Barbara, who found an elderly Retriever and took it home like she had planed. With two dogs and one cat they made only a short stop at the pet shop to get all the basics for Rudy and Happy.   
“Yes. Have you seen Happy?”  
“No, he seems to be still downstairs. I think it’s better we give him the time he needs.”  
“Absolutely. Is it okay for you that he is in your apartment?”  
“Of course. We’re mostly here.”  
“We are. Why?”  
“Because your apartment has the nicer view.”  
“I offered you…”  
“Honey, we’re here together, it doesn’t bother me. It’s only an apartment.”  
“Your apartment.”  
“Yes. Our house. I spend time with you in this part of our house, the important part is you, not the place where we are. We could sleep in the garden, as long as we share a bed, I can snuggle into your arms, I’m happy.”  
Sofia sighed with a wide grind, slipped behind Sara, embraced and kissed her. “You’re the best.”  
“I have priorities, you’re top of this list. Rudy, you’re cheating.” The young dog tried to get the rope with his right paw.   
“He fights with what he has. With so much energy. Since we left the pet shelter he looks more alive.”  
“He likes his new mommies, don’t you Rudy? It’s good to be here and you’re allowed to play with Sara, you can kiss her…but if you try to get between her and me you’ll get in trouble. Are you listening?”  
“No, he doesn’t listen to this nonsense.” Sara kissed Sofia on the tip of her nose. “Your bed is for us, nobody else is welcome in there.”  
“Good. Sometimes I wonder why ordered two apartments. One would have been enough.”  
“There was a time when we weren’t together.”  
“Really? Sounds horrible, lucky me I can’t remember this nightmare.” Sofia laughed. A life without Sara in her arms?   
“It was horrible. Nights without you, not tasting your sweet lips. But you were too busy with this stupid blonde model, who had turned your head.”  
“Wait a moment, she hit on me, not the other way around. All I wanted was her expertise about being Miss Waikiki.”  
“You’re my Miss Universe, is that close to Miss Waikiki?”  
“I’m your Miss, that’s priceless.”  
“Yes, you’re my woman. My dream woman.” Sara let go of the rope to climb on Sofia’s lap, snuggled into her arms and kissed her. “I love you. You’ve no idea how happy I’m that I’m with you. For the first time in my life I feel like I’m home. And that’s not because of the house or Waikiki, it’s because of you. When I sent the text to Trop in summer…I think a part of me knew, I need to you to be happy. Lucky for me you came with me.”  
“How could I miss this chance? Hawaii with you. And now we’ve two babies.”  
“One that needs a lot of attention and one that’s very shy. Do you think we should have a look for Happy?”  
“I think we should make out of our two apartments one.”  
“Destroying Carla’s great work? She’d kill you for that.”  
“Don’t you think we don’t need two apartments?”  
“We don’t, no.”  
“But you want to keep them.”  
“Yes. We can make some money with the second one, mine. If we rent it out to tourists we make some good money we can use for our own holiday trips. I want to travel the world with you, Sofia. That’s only possible when we get some money after we spent a huge amount the last weeks.”  
“Now you sound like my accountant. But I really like the idea of us being in one apartment the whole time. I mean like you said before, most times we’re in one apartment therefore there’s no reason not to move in completely. Moving in with my housemate sounds weird.”  
“Moving in with you sounds weirder.” Sara chuckled.   
“Funny, very funny. Are you looking for trouble?”  
“Wow, is the lieutenant coming through? Authority. You’re so scary, Lieutenant Curtis. And so sexy when you wear your uniform. When I saw you with it I wanted to rip it off your body, chain you to the bed and interrogate you the whole night. Repeatedly.”  
“Did you?”  
“Yes.”  
“You could do that now.” Sofia bite softly in Sara’s throat and sucked the soft skin.   
“The uniform is missing.”  
“Are you only attracted to me when I wear my uniform?”  
“No, but it added some spice. Probably when you’re a captain I’ll rip off your clothes and take you wherever you are. Just the thought of you in your uniform, all these stripes…” Sara pushed Sofia on the ground and kissed her demanding while her hand found its way under the other woman’s shirt. Could it be that she was attracted by uniforms? She couldn’t remember that somebody else made her have these feelings, only Sofia in uniform, Sara undressing her slowly…yes, it was Sofia. Of course.   
“Maybe I should join the army, more stripes, more attraction.”  
“Chief of the navy. Just the thought of it makes me…” Out of the blue Sara was pushed off Sofia and found herself on the floor. A brown face that seemed to laugh at her was over her, a wiggling tail made it obvious that Rudy wanted some attention.   
“Oh Rudy, bad timing.”  
“That’s how it is with kids.” Sofia laughed. “As soon as they’re in the house there’s no more time for sex. The babies needs all our attention.”  
“You get some more time to play before we go out one more time and then Sofia is mine, do you understand? You will stay out of the bedroom, this is my woman. And I really, really, really want her.”  
“Wanna grab a cold shower, Honey?”  
“No, I wanna grab you.”  
“What a shame, We could have continued what we started under the shower. Looks like I have some chocolate for the frustration.”  
“I need some too. And a chocolate kiss.”  
“Sounds like a good idea. I get some from the kitchen and have a look for Happy while I’m down there.”  
“Wait, I come with you. Happy needs some attention too, he’s a part of our family.”  
“Our other baby.” Sofia took Sara’s hand. They were a real family now. With their babies and all the trouble babies made. But before Rudy or Happy were killed she preferred to refrain from sex for an hour or two. 

“Rudy! Stop!” Sara tried to keep the dog back running Sofia’s parents over. Whenever somebody came around for a visit he was all over the moon.   
“Rudy, sit!” Sofia stepped between her dog and her parents. Unhappy about the order the young dog sat down. He had been to obedience school with both and when they used a very firm voice he did what he was told to do. Most times.   
“He needs some manners.” Sofia’s mother looked strictly at the young dog. With a little whine he lay down. “That’s better.”  
“Marie, it’s a family dog and not one of your police dogs.” Sofia’s father reprimanded his wife.   
“Every dog needs some manners. What happened to his leg?”  
“He’s born this way.”  
“Looks like it doesn’t stop him from being very active.”  
“He goes out for a run with us every day.” Sofia took her mother’s suitcase. “This is the kitchen, next to it is the work room. Your room will be in the other apartment, former Sara’s apartment.”  
“Whose apartment is it now?”  
“Still mine but I’m the whole time here with Sofia. We will rent the other apartment to tourists next year.” They talked about the idea for a few nights and came to the conclusion it was a good way to make some money. With tourists in there they could make their own decision when they wanted people in there and when something was coming up like Christmas, they could leave it empty to have space or family and friends.   
“Looks like you and my daughter are very close and serious about your relationship.”  
“That’s why she told you about us, invited you. Will you be all right with it, Captain Curtis?”  
“Only if you stop call me by my rank, it’s Marie.”  
“All right, Marie.”  
“And who is the little tiger over there?” Sofia’s father pointed to the sofa where Happy lay, very flat like he was trying to make himself invisible.   
“That’s Happy, he’s our other child.”  
“He has all of his legs.”  
“He does. Unfortunately somebody tried chemicals on his eyes and now he’s blind. Which doesn’t seem to stop him from climbing over all our furniture.”  
“Why don’t you let him go out?”  
“Because he’s blind and he’s with us for one week and we wanna make sure he knows where his home is.”  
“Are you allowed to touch him?”  
“Yes.”  
“Does he comes to you in the morning, comes to you when you’re back from work?”  
“Yes.”  
“So he knows where his home is. Stop worrying Sofia, at one point you have to let your baby go out and explore the world. I know it’s hard, all parents have to get through it.”  
“Thanks dad. Sara?”   
“We can’t lock him in for the rest of his life. Maybe we should let him out tomorrow, let him explore the garden.”  
“Okay.” Sofia opened the door to the balcony. “This way, please. You do have your own entrance but when you wanna come over it’s easier to use the balcony. Sara’s apartment is on this story, the lower part is Barbara’s apartment. You will meet her tomorrow, she’ll spend Christmas with us. Her children are on the main land and won’t come over.”  
“I know the problem when the child is gone and doesn’t come around for Christmas.”  
“We come around next year when we get the days off, mom.”  
“Is that all right with you, Sara?”  
“Of course Marie. You work law enforcement, we don’t need to tell you that we can’t promise anything because of our jobs.” Sara opened the door to her apartment. “As you can see this is the living room, the kitchen is straight ahead. We left you some coffee and tea in there, also a six pack of beer and a bottle of wine.”  
“That’s what I call a well stocked fridge.”  
“Take some time to settle down, we prepare the dinner. Steaks on the balcony with beer and salad for the vegetarian.” Sofia took Sara’s hand. “And dad, we decided you will take care of Rudy when we’re at work.”  
“Really?” Sofia’s father chuckled. “I take the job and will also have an eye on your tiger. You know I’m a cat person.”  
“I take him with me, he needs a strong hand. Reminds me of a daughter I have.”  
“We see you later, mother.” Sofia stuck her tongue out. There was no need that her mother told Sara all the things Sofia did when she was a child. Sooner or later her lover would hear those things, now was too soon. 

“This was my first Christmas Eve with my parents in a long time. And the first one with my partner and my parents in…even a longer time.” They sat outside until it was almost midnight. Because Sara and Sofia had to work the next day they went to bed. The next evening, Christmas Day, was their party day and they hoped they could make it home in time. Sofia’s parents would prepare everything and take care of the pets.   
“So, you bring your affairs to your family Christmas parties all the time?”  
“I think they met two before you. My boyfriend while I was in college and a girlfriend from the Police Academy. You should know by now that I don’t jump from one bed to another.”  
“Well, you jump a few times from your bed to mine and back.” Sara grinned and kissed Sofia.   
“Maybe I’m not picky about the bed but about the one who is in the bed. With you I’d even sleep in a hammock.”  
“We slept in a hammock.”  
“When I recall it correctly we didn’t sleep a lot because we were too busy doing other things, far more nicer things than sleeping.”  
“Really? I can’t remember.” Sara teased.   
“Shall I help you remember?”  
“With your parents next door?”  
“They could be in the next room that wouldn’t stop me from wanting you, Sara. If you were food I’d feel like I’m starving whenever I’m around you.”  
“You want to eat me?”  
“Yes. The whole time. I tell you, one day I’ll grab you while we’re in the department and have you in the bathroom because I can’t wait until we’re back home. God, it’s hard to stay professional when we meet at a crime scene and you look so damn sexy.”  
“Tell me about it. Concentrating on finding evidence while you’re around is hard work. You know, when I knee down to find things, I’ve a very good look at your sexy ass. Especially when you wear your tight pants. Makes me almost lose my mind every time.”  
“Really?”  
“Yes.”  
“Since when?”  
“Since you’re a sexy brunette.”  
“Are you serious?”  
“It has nothing to do with your hair color but…I guess around that time I started to realize I’ve you way too often on my mind. And not in a way I should have a friend on my mind. It wasn’t enough to share a house with you, I wanted you close. And whenever I tried to stop that, to get some distance between us, I felt awful. Acknowledging that you were more than an ordinary friend too some time but at some point I couldn’t deny it anymore.   
When I saw you that night on the balcony, watching the sunset, I knew I couldn’t resist any longer. I was aware that was about to endanger our relationship, that it would be very difficult if you didn’t feel like I did but I had to try it. Otherwise it had driven me crazy.”  
“Lucky for you, you hit my weak spot with your first kiss.”  
“Knowing the weakness of somebody can be very helpful.”  
“You can sound so cruel and calculating.”  
“I am.”  
“No, you’re not.” Sofia kissed Sara softly. “You’re very sensitive, caring. You took me to a pet shelter and rescued the two pets that would be dead if you hadn’t taken them.”  
“We took them.”  
“It was your idea, Sara. I was with you, I’m always with you, but it was your idea. You have a very kind heart…hidden under a wall of stone sometimes.”  
“Thanks.” Sara bopped her girlfriend.   
“You’re welcome. Time to sleep, my cute CSI. Otherwise we’ll be too tired to catch all evil Christmas Grinchs.”  
“And fall asleep during the dinner with your parents.”  
“That too. They like you, we won’t endanger that by being rude.”  
“I tell them you kept me awake with your lips.”  
“What we do isn’t their business.”  
“In that case you better make sure I’m fit tomorrow and don’t look tired…out.”  
“Sleep, wife.”  
“Wife? Since when are we married?”  
“Not yet. But one day we will and you will have to learn to obey me.”  
“I see you’re already asleep. Keep on dreaming, Honey. I love you.” Sara kissed Sofia.   
“I love you too. And I will continue dreaming of you. I will always dream of you.” Sofia snuggled into Sara’s arms. Being married wasn’t a guarantee to stay together forever but she had always loved weddings and wanted to get married one day. Why not with Sara? Could there be something more perfect than her girlfriend? 

“Oh god.” Sofia had no idea if she had a heart attack, a serious eye problem or something worse. She stood in the frame of her frond door, staring into the kitchen. Was this real? Could it be real? Or was it a dream?  
“There you are, Honey. Could you have a look at the oven, please?” Her mother was dancing around the kitchen – what was left of the kitchen Sofia used to know. There was flour all over the place. And cookies. Lots of them. Everywhere. The kitchen machine was running high and there was dough on the cupboard, on the floor and on her mother. All over her mother.   
“Dad! Dad! Come here, fast! Mom is getting domestic!”  
“Your father takes care of the dinner in Sara’s kitchen. I told him I can’t do both and you know he’s good with meat. The oven, Honey.”  
Sofia shook her head and went to her oven. The cookie inside looked light brown. “They need a little bit longer.”  
“Good. There are three more baking trays, get them up to Sara’s kitchen. Otherwise they won’t be ready in time.”  
“Ready for what?”  
“Christmas dinner. Did you ever have a Christmas dinner without cookies?”  
“Yes.”  
“With me around?”  
“No.”  
“See. Hurry up.” Marie pushed Sofia towards the baking trays. Putting up the trays Sofia saw her dog sitting like a statue in a corner of the kitchen, watching the scene.   
“What happened to Rudy?”  
“He learns how to behave.”  
“Did you tranquilize him?”  
“Don’t be stupid. Say hello to Sofia, Rudy. Move!”   
The dog practically jumped into Sofia’s arms, licked her face like he hadn’t seen her in ages.   
“We have to improve his behavior, this isn’t correct. Rudy, down! Now!”  
“Leave him alone, he’s allowed to welcome me in a proper way. Come on Rudy, you come with me.”  
“You will never have a well trained dog if you’re that soft.”  
“I want a happy dog…talking about happy, where is Happy?”  
“With your father.”  
“Lucky Happy.” Sofia mumbled. She took the trays and went upstairs, followed by Rudy. Her father was in Sara’s kitchen, in a less big chaos, a lot of meat was around him and several different marinades.   
“Mom is in her Christmas rush.”  
“I know, Happy and me left before it got too critical. I see you rescued Rudy.”  
“He wasn’t allowed to move and greet me until she ordered him to do so.”  
“You know her.”  
“Yes…where is Sara?”  
“I saw her when she came home, called from here she should make a beeline up here to avoid your mother. She came upstairs, spent a minute or so with Happy and went out again. I think she wants to help Barbara and said something about calling your friends. I wasn’t sure how many people will be here so I prepared a lot of meat, the salad is in the fridge. I see your mother is busy with the cookies.”  
“Dad, there are at least two dozen with filled boxes in my kitchen, five or six trays more on the table and any other free place she found and she’s still preparing more cookies. How many pounds did she make last year?”  
“Four dozen.”  
“Oh god.”  
“You will have enough cookies for the next months.”  
“Or the rest of the year.”  
“This is the only time of the year your mother turns all domestic, forgets that she doesn’t like being in the kitchen and behaves like a lot of men wishes their wife would be. We know this happens every year, we can cope.”  
“It scares me every time. Where is Happy?”  
“The last time I saw him he made himself comfortable on the chair…there he is.” Her father pointed to a kitchen chair. On it, half hidden under the table, sat Happy and watched them. Or listened to them as he wasn’t able to watch them.   
“Stay here, Happy, it’s safer.” Rudy who saw the cat too, went slowly towards him. The last times he tried to play with the cat, he met the craws. Now that he walked carefully the cat didn’t move. A foot away the dog stopped, waiting, watching. The cat didn’t move. Carefully Rudy stepped closer, moved his head in the direction of the cat. When he almost touched Happy’s head the paw of the cat got forward and slapped him on his nose. More surprised as in pain Rudy jumped back and looked at Sofia for an explanation.  
“Sorry Rudy, I can’t do anything. You have to wait until Happy is ready to become your friend. Stay here with him and dad, I have to change and will have a look where Sara is – and won’t go back to see mom.”  
“You will get the baking trays back to her, I won’t go into the kitchen.”  
With a smile Sofia realized her father was as scared of her mother as she was. Captain Curtis was a person you could fear, the baking junkie Marie was even worse. Probably because there was no description how to act around her without being pulled into the craziness of baking.   
Leaving Rudy behind, knowing he was safe with her father, Sofia used Sara’s staircase to get to Barbara’s apartment. Knocking with the knowledge nobody heard her she entered the apartment and found Sara in Barbara’s kitchen. Both were preparing vegetables.   
“Hey, I’m glad you’re safe.” Sofia kissed Sara.   
“Yes, your father told me it’s better to stay away from your apartment. Something about your mother.”  
“Her usual Christmas craziness. If you get close to her she’ll force you to help you with her cookies. Last year she baked four dozen pounds, I’m afraid she’ll top it this year.”  
“Wow. Captain Cookie. Pardon me, Captain Biscuit.”  
“It’s all right, Sara. I’m fine with the American English.” Barbara laughed.   
“It seems to be wrong to use it around you, everything is so…it’s like I imagine England.”  
“Maybe you will go there one day.”  
“I hope so.” Sara looked at Sofia.   
“Yes.”  
“Honeymoon trip?”  
“If that’s your wish.”  
“Honeymoon? Are you getting married?” Barbara looked at them.   
“One day we will.” Sara smiled. “Not this year.”  
“What a good thing that the year is almost over.” Sofia pulled Sara on her lap.   
“That’s what I thought.”   
“You both seem to be serious.”  
“We are. It doesn’t mean we will get married in a few weeks but…I can’t imagine that I will ever be with anybody else than Sofia. She’s my everything.”  
“I can feel the spirit of Christmas and a lot of love.” Barbara petted William. “Shall we get the vegetable over?”  
“Yes. Dad should be done with the meat, the salads are in the fridge. All we need is to stay away from my kitchen.”  
“You must be very scared of your mother.”  
“Have you met her yet?”  
“No.”  
“You will soon. Sara, Felix, Flea and Sam will be here any time soon. What about Alex?”  
“She comes with them.”  
“Good. I start the barbecue. Where are your corn cobs?”  
“I bring them with me. Kiss?”  
“Only one?” Sofia kissed Sara twice. “Love you.”  
“Love you too.”   
“So much love, it’s nice to see the real spirit of Christmas.”   
“If loving Sofia is Christmas then it’s Christmas every day for me.” Sara smiled. Maybe it was Christmas but she felt even more in love with Sofia than she usually did. 

Two hours later – Sofia had no idea how her kitchen looked like – they all sat on the balcony, eating steaks, corn cobs, salad and vegetables. A huge bowl of cookies sat on the table.   
“This is a rather unusual Christmas.” Marie said.   
“It’s a lovely Christmas.” Sofia snuggled deeper into Sara’s arms. “Do you want something else?”  
“A kiss and a cookie.” Sara bent over and kissed Sofia.   
“What a lovely demand. What kind of cookie would you like? We have…a dozen different.”  
“One of each kind.”  
“Sara, you’re a woman I like.” Marie said. “I told my daughter we don’t have too many cookies.”  
“No, there can never be too many cookies.” Flea took another one. “They are all delicious, Marie.”  
“Thanks. Why are you not with your family?”  
“Because neither my parents nor Sam’s parents are happy with our relationship. We haven’t been with them since four years, since we’re together.”  
“Parents should love their children, no matter what. The most important thing is that your son or daughter is happy. When Sofia came home with her first girlfriend I can’t say I was over the moon. After all I wanted grandchildren and that wish wasn’t likely to become true with a woman by her side. The girl vanished, another boy came and so on. What I want to say is that it doesn’t matter with whom Sofia was, I love her.”  
“And most times I love you too. Not when you take over my kitchen and bake more cookies than we can ever eat…”  
“You will eat them all.”  
“Yeah and at the end I’ll look like I’m pregnant with a football team.”  
“You are still very thin, Honey.”  
“Mom, I put on five pounds.”  
“How many did you lose before that?”  
“It doesn’t matter, does it?” Sara interrupted them. “She does eat like any other person does.”  
“Again.”  
“Marie, don’t start a fight.”   
“Matt I’m…”  
“You’re the captain again, leave our daughter alone. She’s an adult, she has her own life and if somebody has the right to tell her what’s wrong it’s Sara. You might not like it but Sara is the one who is allowed to tell Sofia was right or wrong.”  
“As long as I’m her mother it’s my right too.”  
“Mom, you can make suggestions but since I’m an adult you’re not allowed to tell me what to do. If there’s somebody who can tell me what to do it’s Sara. And that’s because I love her.”  
“It’s not my intention to tell you what to do.” Sara took Sofia’s hand. “I tell you when I worry and what about. At the end it’s you to make the decision.”  
“We make the decision. It’s always we.”   
“Girls, you are too kitschy.” Felix said.   
“Only because you are not in love you’re jealous.”  
“What can I do? You’re taken by somebody else.”  
“There’s a lovely woman sitting next to you, you can ask her for a date.” Sofia smiled. If she wasn’t wrong Alex had an eye on Felix, who seemed not to notice the attraction of the black haired woman.   
“Alex, what are you doing on new years eve?” Sara asked.  
“I work until the evening and be back in the lab in the morning. No night off.”  
“Are you going to bed before midnight?”  
“No.”  
Sara looked at Felix.   
“Some of the guys and me will go down to the beach, do you want to join us?”  
“I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.”  
“Why not?”  
“I don’t feel comfortable around a lot of people I don’t know.”  
“You know Sara and Sofia will be with us.”  
“You will?” Alex looked at Sara.   
“Yes. The first time that we’ll welcome the new year at the beach. Come on, there’s no need to be alone.”  
“Okay.”  
“Perfect. Sam? Flea?”  
“How could we not be with you guys? We’re always with you. What about your parents?”  
“A party at the beach sounds good. Sofia, what about Rudy and Happy?” Marie stroke softly over Rudy’s back.   
“I doubt they like fireworks, they’ll be better off here.”  
“I take them down to my apartment.” Barbara offered. “I will stay here.”  
“You want to be alone? Why?” Sofia saw no need in Barbara being alone.   
“Because I won’t stay awake until midnight, I will go to bed at ten, like I do every day. There comes a time Sofia, when you don’t care about this kind of party anymore.”  
“I’m where Sara is. If she wanted to stay at home there would be no way I go to the beach.”  
“We will welcome the new year at the beach, arm in arm.”  
“The last part of the sentence is all I need.”  
“God lieutenant, do you have any self respect left?” Sofia’s mother sighed. “That’s worse than I’ve ever seen you before.”  
“Because I’ve never been so much in love, mother.”  
“As a cop you should keep your head clear.”  
“As a cop I’ve to protect my CSI and as a private person I’ve to be there for my girlfriend. What a lovely coincidence that Sara is both, so I can be with her all the time. And I can be a love fool.”  
“She stays professional when we meet during the shift, Marie.” Sara said. “Don’t worry, we can behave ourselves. But don’t expect us to sit on different sides of the table when we’re off duty. That’s impossible.”  
“I can see that. You remind me of two dogs and I might have to get a bucket of water at one point.”  
“A shower with Sara? Very sexy.” Sofia grinned. She knew she acted like a teenager in love sometimes. But it felt so good to act this stupid. What could she do, she was head over heels in love with her girlfriend and the best thing was, Sara felt the same. Everybody who complained was only jealous. 

“Greggo!” Sara jumped straight into Greg’s arms and kissed him on his lips. “I missed you! Don’t leave me!”  
“Wow, uhm…wow…hi. I missed you too.” Greg blushed and had no idea what to do next. This was unexpected. He had looked forward to see Sara again, was nervous and happy to see her again but this…this was unbelievable.   
“Hi Greg, I won’t jump into your arms, they look a little bit occupied.”  
“Hey Sofia…yes…not that I mind.”  
“I do. She’s mine – in case she hasn’t told you.”  
“She did. It wasn’t difficult to find out after she talked the whole time only about you.”  
“Did she? Good to know. Shall I take your luggage or is it possible for Sara to get out of your arms?”  
“Take his luggage.”  
“You’re mot making yourself very popular, Honey. Do you want to sleep in your bed with Greg instead of my bed with me?”  
“She does!”  
“Greg, I didn’t ask you.”  
“I want to sleep in your arms, Sofia but stay a little bit longer in Greg’s arms now.”  
“Okay, I let you get away with it. This time. How was your flight?”  
“All right. I slept most times, the benefit when you work until three hours before your flight starts. The guys say hello, miss you both and want you back. I told them you live in paradise, they believe you both found sexy surfer and that’s the reason why you won’t come back.”  
“They don’t know about us?” Sofia was surprised. She thought her former colleagues knew about the relationship of her and Sara.   
“I didn’t tell them and when you didn’t tell them either, they have no clue.”  
“Knowing my lovely girlfriend she never lost a word and I didn’t tell them, so they don’t know.”  
“They’ll be surprised when you invite them to your wedding one day.”  
“There won’t be a wedding party, we’ll get married alone, on a lonely beach, only the priest and us, sunset and that’s it. No party, no guests.” Sara said.   
“You won’t invite me?”  
“Only Sofia and me. A Caribbean beach, feet in sand. What do you think, Honey?”  
“I think, no I know, I love you.”  
“Are you like this the whole time?” Greg asked.  
“Yes. I drove my mother crazy. We’re like two teenager – only worse. Can you handle that?”  
“Give me a sexy beach bunny and I’m fine. I’m sure you know a lot of hot babes.”  
“Bimbos? There are plenty on the beach.”   
“Sara, please. Greg doesn’t want a bimbo, he wants something he can take home.”  
“We buy him a colorful shirt.”  
“A sexy surfer chick.”  
“Men are all the same. You missed the Miss Waikiki competition two weeks ago, Greg.”   
“Sara, I stay with the two most beautiful woman of all Hawaiian islands, I don’t need a competition to know that. By the way, you look much better than the last time, Sofia. Christmas cookies are good for you.”  
“Am I that fat?”  
“You’re that perfect now.”  
“Oh, thanks.” She kissed Greg. “You’re the best.”  
“See, I told you a few more pounds and you’re back to being every men dreams.” Sara smiled.   
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got that.”  
“Some men might like it when their girlfriend is really skinny, I wonder why. These starving women don’t look like women anymore. They don’t have any curves, they look like a stick and when you take them out they don’t eat, count all the calories you eat and don’t drink anything else than water. Very boring. A real woman has curves, goes out for a nice dinner with you, shares the ‘deeply in love plate’ with you, drinks some champagne and let you feed her with chocolate. Seduce a woman with chocolate is a well known secret; one you can forget when she doesn’t eat chocolate.”  
“I do eat chocolate and we have like twenty pounds of Christmas cookies left. Don’t worry about your belated Christmas party, Greg. The tree is still there, the decoration too, it’s like it’s still Christmas.”  
“Good. In Vegas the decoration is gone.”  
“So is it here except for our apartment.”  
“When I dress up like Santa will you sit on my lap, Sara?”  
“No, that will get me into trouble with my personal angel.”  
“Bugger.”  
“You can have Rudy on your lap. He’ll be delighted to have somebody new around.”  
“Who is Rudy?”  
“Our dog with three legs. Before Christmas we made ourselves the best presents and got us a three leg dog and a blind tomcat, Happy. And we’re thinking of getting another cat for Happy because Rudy has a dog friend, William. Barbara got herself a dog too, in fact, it was her idea to go to the pet shelter.”  
“Your babies.”  
“Yes. We started our family after only a few weeks of relationship. My mom said we’re overdoing it, I think we try to make up for all the time we wasted. All these years we were nothing more than colleagues. We could be happy since four years. I’ve to catch up four years of kissing Sara.”  
“Four years of falling asleep in your arms. Probably that’s why we’re sitting everywhere arm in arm. We try to catch up the lost time.” Sara kissed Sofia.   
“Sara, we’ve got nine years to catch up, what will you do with me?” Greg asked.   
“We’ve always been friends, Greg, there’s nothing to catch up, Maybe the time since I left Vegas.”  
“He hits on you, Darling.”  
“He always does. Don’t be mad.”  
“He’s the only one who’s allowed to hit on you. Anybody else will be in serious trouble. Greg, you know she’s mine, don’t you?”  
“I know. You took her away from me – in every way.”  
“She’s happy now.”  
“I can see that and it makes me happy. I’m only whining because she isn’t happy with me.”  
“Greg, with you I’m more happier than without you. I wish you could stay with us, you’re the only one from Vegas I really miss.”  
“Do you need a CSI?”  
“Not that I know about it but I can ask. If there opens a spot and you want it, I’ll do everything I can to get you here. We have an apartment to rent.”  
“Really?”  
“Yes. We moved my stuff into Sofia’s apartment and will rent my apartment to tourists when you’re gone. So there is a place to stay for you in case you want to be here.”  
“Good to know. What do you say about this, Sofia?”  
“The same Sara says. I want you here, Greggo.”  
“I will think about it. Hawaii is a temptation. Living next door to you and Sara is even better. There isn’t much that can top it.”  
“What can top it?”  
“Having an apartment with Sara?”  
“Won’t happen.” Sara stopped the car in front of the house. “I’m taken and I won’t be available again. Never. I found the one I want to be with for the rest of my life.”  
“Jealousy is a sin but I can’t stop being a sinner.”  
“Loving Sofia is a sin too, you’re surrounded by sinners Greg.”  
“Love can never be a sin, it’s a gift of God.”   
“Some people see that differently.” Sofia opened her kitchen door. Immediately Happy ran out into the garden. “Greg, say hello and goodbye to Happy. Happy, when you come back you can say hello to Greg. He’s a friend and he’ll stay a few days. And there…” Sofia fell backwards on the ground with Rudy in her arms. “Rudy, who forgot how to behave.”  
“He’s happy to see you, you can’t blame him for that. Hey Rudy, how are you?” Greg got on his knees and was kissed by Rudy right away.   
“He likes you.”  
“Can you give me your paw, Rudy?”  
The dog sat down and offered his paw to Greg.   
“Thank you very much, you’re well trained.”  
“Ten days with my mother. You have no idea what she put him through. A police academy for dogs and it seemed like Rudy enjoyed every single day.”  
“Sometimes drill isn’t the worst thing. When your mother tried to teach him some manners she spent time with him, got him all her attention, maybe he liked that.”  
“He did. And the treats she gave him when he was a good dog too. She never gave me chocolate when I was a child and did what she wanted.”  
“You got your Christmas presents.”  
“Not enough.”  
“Oh come on, I bet your parents spoiled you. Your mother might be a tough police captain but when it comes to her family and Christmas she’s Santa’s sister.”  
“She’s the cookie monster, no wonder I love sweets so much.”  
“I like your mother.”  
“And she likes you. So does my dad.”  
“Who is so quiet, I wonder how he copes with your mother.”  
“He has learnt how to handle her. Greg, we’ll have a few friends over soon, why don’t you get your stuff in Sara’s bedroom – which should sound like heaven in your eyes – and join us on the balcony.”  
“I’ll sleep in her bed, that’s heaven. All I need is my angel next to me.”  
“My angel will stay with me.”  
“I got a kiss at the airport, something to remember. When you feel like kissing me again, you know where to find me; in your bed.”  
“You find me on the balcony, next to the barbecue.”  
“Sitting on Sofia’s lap, I know.”  
“There’s no better place to be.” Sara smiled and took Sofia’s hand. One week off and every day of her holidays she could spend with her lover. Every day they would wake up arm in arm and fall asleep the same way. Life couldn’t be better than this. 

“Greg worries we get married without him, he’s cute.” Sofia kissed Sara. It was after two in the morning, they had sat outside with Greg and Flea, who had the day off and could sleep in. Barbara left them around midnight, two hours after her usual bedtime.   
“He gets a photos of us after the wedding.”  
“I doubt that’s enough. He wants to be the best man.”  
“Do we need a best man?”  
“We need a best man, two men who guide us to the priest and…are we going to get married soon, Sara?” Sofia’s head popped around. Sara seemed to be very serious when it came to this topic, did she think of a wedding any time soon? Not that Sofia would mind it was just…very soon.   
“I don’t know, are we?”  
“After less than two months of being together?”  
“Scared you’ll be divorced before the end of the year?”  
“No, I just…you talk about a wedding very often and I wonder if you want to get married any time soon.”  
“When I answer without thinking the answer is YES. I want to marry you, better right now than tomorrow. When I use my brain I know it’s not a good idea, we have to wait. I hate waiting, did I mention that.”  
“My mom will kill you when you marry her only daughter and she isn’t around. Then again, I wasn’t there when she got married, we would be even. And I like your idea of a little wedding at the beach.”  
“Shall I pop the question or do you want to do that?”  
“Uhm…I don’t know. In my dreams I got asked all the times.”  
“All the times? How often did you get married in your dreams?”  
“Let me think about it…at least a few dozen times to Ken when I was in kindergarten, then I wanted to marry Dominic, he was my first grade sweet heart. After that I was single for a few years and the next relationships never made me think of a wedding. I guess at a certain age you stop dreaming and focus on your real life. High school, college, a job.  
What about you?”  
“I never thought about getting married.”  
“Wow.” Sofia had no idea what else to say. She had no idea Sara was…okay, she knew their relationship was serious for Sara but this was…overwhelming.   
“I don’t feel like we’re together since two months, it feels like we’ve been together for a while. Maybe because we know each other since fours years. But if you want I will stop talking about weddings.”  
“Who am I to tell you not tell and show me how much you love me? I can’t get enough of that. You can tell me every second if you want. I’m afraid you might have to stop every once in a while because I’ll kiss you and I need your tongue for other things than talking. It’s a very talented tongue and I like to feel it.”  
“Where do you like it most?”  
“That’s a difficult question? Can I pick only one place?”  
“Yes.”  
“All over my body. My body as the one place….will we have sex on the beach after our wedding?”  
“To drink?”  
“Both?” Sofia grinned. “We pack a huge towel, a few candles and I’m sure it will be a great wedding night. I have to have a look where you can rent your own little island.”  
“Our own little island?”  
“Yes. I want a place where nobody can disturb us. You know, getting married, take the boat to our island and enjoy the time with you. The good thing is, all you have to pack is a towel, your bikini for the wedding and that’s it. You won’t need clothes for our island. If you try to wear something I’ll rip if off and punish you for that. In a very slow and mean way, you’ll beg me to realize you.”  
“Really?”  
“Yes.”  
“Interesting. Care to give me a little example? So I know what will happen when I pack a ski suit.”  
“A ski suit? There is nothing on your mind that covers more of your skin?”  
“An astronaut suit?” Sara offered sweetly.   
“Don’t you dare!” Sofia slipped on top of Sara. “I want you, I want to see, feel, touch and kiss you. Every little piece of clothes is too much. No top, no shorts, no socks, nothing. Am I clear?”  
“No, not really. Where do you want no clothes again?”  
“Here.” Sofia’s lips kissed Sara’s throat. “Here.” She let her tongue run over the other woman’s chest. “Here.” When she cupped Sara’s left nipple with her lips and sucked it, a moan escaped out of Sara’s mouth. “Here.” With her left hand she started rubbing the right nipple. “And most important here.” When her lips kissed Sara’s clit and her tongue started massaging the soft and sensitive skin Sara cried out loud. 

“They seem to enjoy the waves.” Flea sat next to Sofia in the sand. They were on a beach, watching Sara and Greg who were surfing.   
“Yeah, it’s a perfect day for surfing.”   
“Why aren’t you in the water?”  
“Because all I can handle is a body board and not a surfboard. The beach is nice too. Why aren’t you in the water?”  
“There’s a beautiful woman at the beach, why look for Arielle in the water when she sits in the sand?” He smiled.   
“My little prince. Will Sam come here when he’s off the clock?”  
“Yes. The fact that I spent half of the night with you made him sent me a not nice text, something like party bunny, forgetting my lover and rather being with two gorgeous brunettes than him and the books. When somebody offers you to spend the evening on a balcony with a barbecue and somebody else offers you an evening at the desk, looking into accountant books, which would be your pick?”  
“The barbecue – or is Sara the one with the books?”  
“In your case yes.”  
“The books.”  
“Don’t stab me in the back!”  
“Sorry, in my currant state of mind I choose Sara, no matter what I get with it. No wonder my parents think I’m nuts. But an evening without her? My heart breaks every day I’ve to work and don’t see her for several hours. I know it’s crazy, at one point I should get back to normal, right now I enjoy this craziness too much.”  
“There are several marks on your body telling me you had a crazy night.” He smirked.   
“Shall I wear something more than a bikini?”  
“Not for me.”  
“Are the marks disturbing?”  
“Not to me.”  
“Good. I earned them.”  
“I’m sure she has the same. How did you manage to stay away from each other all these years when it’s impossible now?”  
“Other lovers, blindness, too busy to fight. Sounds stupid, doesn’t it?”  
“A little bit.”  
“We have no idea how we could have been so blind, maybe we’re trying to make up for losing three years.”  
“You started with moving in before you were a couple, an interesting start for a relationship. When will you be engaged?”  
“Maybe when we’re three months together? So we can get married after four.”  
“You’re not serious, are you?”  
Sofia grinned.   
“Sofia!”  
“We talked about getting married last night.”  
“Oh god. Girls, I’m really happy for you, want you to be together but don’t you think it’s too early? You’re breaking all world records if you go on like this. What does your brain, the smart part in your head, tell you about this idea? Does your brain work when it comes to Sara? Or has the rest of your body taking over?  
“My brain tells me we should wait.”  
“Good.”  
“Unfortunately I don’t feel like acting smart. I acted my whole life smart, did what seemed to be rationally and besides from a job I love it didn’t give me anything. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to be a cop, don’t want to be anything else but listening to my brain never made me happy as a private person. I think when it comes to love and relationships it’s important to listen to your heart and not your brain. Love isn’t rational, love is…is all about the heart.”  
“You will be married before the year is over, that’s for sure.” Flea shook his head. “You know I really love Sam and we’ve been together for a while but we never talked about getting married. It’s not possible here anyway.”  
“Just because the state doesn’t recognize it, it doesn’t mean it’s worthless. I like the idea of promising her to be with her for the rest of our lives – and yes, the brain kicks in and tells me it’s not possible to promise something like this – and put the ring on her finger. Seeing Sara wearing our wedding band would be…there are no words for that.”  
“You are aware that a ring doesn’t make her yours for the rest of your life?”  
“Yes.”  
”And you know marriages end, you’re not happier because of a ring, a sheet of paper or a ceremony?”  
“Yes.”  
“Good. You want to marry her anyway.”  
“Yes.” Sofia grinned. “Not now.”  
“Not this month.”  
“No. We wait until we have another week off to get away.”  
“I might have a word with Trop, telling him not to give you more than two days off in a row for a couple of months.”  
“Hey.” She slapped him.  
“For your own good.”  
“Let me make my own decisions, dad.”  
“Talking about parents, what does your mother say about these things?”  
“She gets a nervous breakdown and tries to avoid this topic. And when Sara and me get married without her, we have to make sure we stay somewhere far away, hidden because she’ll come after us and shoot us.”  
“Understandable.”  
“Are you trying to talk me out of this? Talking me out of the relationship?”  
“No, not at all. Sara is good for you, she makes you happy. I try to talk some sense in your head, make you think with your head again. Put off this pink glasses.”  
“Love, Flea.”  
“You make me feel guilty for not being married to Sam.”  
“A double wedding? That’s a good idea.”  
“Oh Lord, help me.” He dropped backwards into the sand and closed his eyes. Why didn’t he just shut up? Now he had put another idea in Sofia’s head and when his friend met his lover the next time and talked about this idea, Sam could like the idea and start talking about weddings too. And then he was in a very dangerous position. If he told him it was too early to get married while Sara and Sofia seemed to do exactly that after only…not enough time, he had only one chance to get out of this: he had to marry his boyfriend and become domestic. Worse, he had to pop the question and that was…he had no idea how he could agree on that with his ego. 

“Sara, your dragon-in-law wants to talk to you!”  
“Dragon?” Sara chuckled on her way to the phone.   
“Did I say dragon? I meant mother.” Sofia laughed. She had called out her words loud enough for her mother to hear them loud and clear. After half an hour on the phone with her, she felt like her mother deserved these words.   
“Sure.” Sara kissed Sofia before she took the phone. “Aloha Marie.”  
“Tell my daughter I heard every word and I know that was her intention.”  
“Of course it was. What can I do for you?”  
“How are the two of you doing?”  
“We’re fine. The Hawaiian summer is different from the Vegas summer, there’s only a slightly difference between the winter. Less rain, not too hot and we can have our barbecues every night. I think it’s the perfect place to be.”  
“When will you come over to Vegas?”  
“We haven’t talked about it.”  
“You have some holidays coming up, don’t you?”  
“Yes, in two weeks.”  
“Go to a travel agent and book the flights.”  
“I’ve talk to Sofia about this.” Sara was sure Marie had told Sofia the same. “Are you missing us this much?”  
“Yes.”  
“For a police captain you’re a very bad liar.” It wasn’t like she didn’t believe Marie missed them, but she knew it was the main reason why she wanted them over.   
“I beg your pardon?”  
“Marie, you want us around to have an eye on us.”  
“I tell you now the same what I told your girlfriend: if you dare to get married in these two weeks and won’t have Matt or me around, you’ll be in serious trouble. We are her parents, we have a right to be there when you get married.”  
“Did Sofia say something about a wedding?”  
“No, she didn’t say a word and that’s what makes me suspicious.”  
“She hasn’t ask me, if that calms you down.”  
“Did you ask her?”  
“Not yet.”  
“When do you plan to ask her?”  
“I don’t know, when the moment feels right. I plan to ask this question only once so I need the perfect moment, the perfect place.”  
“The perfect place is close to your mother-in-law.”  
“I bear that in mind. How is Matt?”  
“Anxious that he misses the wedding of his favorite and only daughter.”  
“Really?” So far Sofia’s father had been quite relaxed about their relationship, hadn’t asked for a wedding appointment.   
“Yes. We have this wonderful big garden around the house…”  
“Marie, don’t you think Sofia and me should wait a little bit longer?”  
“I do think so. Do you think so too?”  
“Yes, I think Sofia and me should wait a little bit longer.”  
“Good. Do you have any plans for the rest of the night?”  
“We go for a walk later, we do that whenever it’s possible. Barbara joins us usually.”  
“That’s good. Is Rudy well behaved?”  
“Yes. And he likes his second cat.” Last month Sara and Sofia had taken another cat from the pet shelter home. A tomcat, Paul, who was old hadn’t found a new owner the last months. They told them he had no problems with dogs and went also along with Happy. Their little family grew.   
“Good. I let you go and remember my words, Sara. No wedding without Matt and me.”  
“I will remember them.” Sara ended the call. “You know, people always try to intimidate other people with threats.” She said to Happy who sat on the sofa. “Somehow they don’t understand that doesn’t get them any further. It’s like with cats: when you don’t try too hard they come to you.”  
Happy meowed like he agreed.   
“Thanks, I knew you understand me. The steaks should be done any time soon, why don’t you come along and get your share of Sofia’s steak before she gives everything to Paul and Rudy? I’m sure they sit around the barbecue, waiting for her to drop something.”  
Instead of getting up the cat stayed. Unlike most animals Happy had never been very interested in food, he was happy when he had a nice spot to sit, sometimes jumped on Sara’s or Sofia’s lap to get some attention for two or three minutes before he went back to his spot or in the garden. 

Feeling Sofia’s skin on her skin was an experience Sara couldn’t get enough of. Having nothing, not even their clothes, between them made her life perfect.   
“Your mother is very anxious about our upcoming holidays. She wants us to come to Vegas, be with her and your dad.”  
“I know. Do you want to go there? We haven’t been to Vegas since we left almost a year ago.” Sofia stroke softly over Sara’s hair, twisted it around her finger.   
“To be honest I’m not ready to go back to Vegas. But if you want to go there…”  
“No, I don’t. Being in Vegas isn’t being on holidays, it’s being back home, being in a place where a lot of good things happened but also a lot of bad things. And I prefer to have holidays somewhere else. I’d like to be on the beach, even when we have a beach in front of our house, want to go swimming, snorkeling, body boarding and all those things without having a lot of people around. A quiet beach, a lot of time for us.”  
“Sounds very good. I thought I might feel a little bit sick of this perfect weather and want to go somewhere cold but when I think of snow there’s nothing that feels like holidays. Maybe in winter a trip to a skiing area could be nice. Now I prefer the beach like you do.”  
“Vegas has only lake beach sides, we want an ocean. So my mother has to live without us being around.”  
“Yes. She will survive.”  
“And call us every day.”  
“We won’t answer the phone, tell her we’re away.”  
“Would you like to go somewhere?”  
“Do you think we can find something? It’s only two more weeks.”  
“Leave that to your talented girlfriend.”  
“Okay.” Sara laughed and pulled Sofia closer. “Will you threaten some people like your mother threatened me?”  
“She threatened you?”  
“Yes. We better don’t dare to get married without her, we’d be in big trouble if we do.”  
“And are you scared?”  
“No. Whenever people try to force me into something, threaten me, I become very stubborn and tend to do exactly what they don’t want me to do.”  
“You are a stubborn person.”  
“Yes.”  
“What does that mean in this case?”  
“In this case it means I feel like showing your mother her threats don’t work and we make the decision what we want and do in our life and not her.”  
“Sounds good to me.”  
“Do you want to marry me, Sofia?” Where was the special scene? The music, the sunset, the champagne? All those things that were supposed to be around when you pop out the question. They were in bed, there was nothing and nobody.   
“I do.” Sofia kissed Sara softly. “I do, I do, I do. There’s nothing I want to do more. Do you want to marry me?”  
“More than anything else in the world.” Sara kissed her lover. Maybe it was spectacular but they had what they wanted and needed: themselves.   
“You know there aren’t any places with a beach where we can get legally married. All we can do it asking somebody, like a captain on a ship, to wed us. It wouldn’t be legal.”  
“I so don’t care, Sofia. It’s not important who stands in front of us and talks, it’s important that you and I promise each other we’ll do everything to stay together, to make the other one happy. The support of the law won’t make our marriage work, it won’t make us love more or less, it gives us legal rights, which are important but when we don’t get them, it doesn’t mean I love you less, want to be less with you.”  
“There are a few things we can do to give the other more tights. You can have the power of attorney, means when something happens to me you’re the one the people in charge talk to. And I’ll list you as my next of kin and contact person.”  
“Sounds like you have thought about this before.”  
“Yes. I love you and I want you there if something happens to me. I know how awful doctors can be, I don’t want you kept in a nimbus, I want you around, informed.”  
“You don’t let anything happen to my wife and we won’t have this problem.” Sara kissed Sofia’s tip of the nose. “My wife. Sounds really good. Sofia my wife.”  
“Well, Sara my wife, get used to the fact that you have a wife who worries and wants you in her life. This won’t be a marriage where we sit at the breakfast table, both hiding behind the newspaper, not willing to talk to each other and don’t spend any time together.”  
“Not? Good. What about our holiday trip? Where will we get married?”  
“What about a little island, we have for ourselves? With nothing more than a little house, a boat so we can get to the main island, no TV, no computer, not even a cell phone signal. Can you imagine being with me for two weeks and having no distractions?”  
“I can’t imagine I want something else than you in my honeymoon. We don’t need a TV or a computer, we’ll be too busy making love. But where will we get this island from? It’s a little bit short-term for such a place.”  
“No, it isn’t.” Sofia grinned.   
“Why?”  
“Maybe somebody booked something like that already, hoping it’s a good surprise and you won’t be mad because you weren’t ask.”  
“You booked our holiday trip?”  
“I was sure we both don’t want to go to Vegas and I know how much you love the beach. An island for ourselves seemed to be the perfect place, even without a wedding. With a wedding it’s even better. Are you mad?”  
“For giving me a wedding gift?”  
“For planning our honeymoon without you asking.”  
“You planned our holiday trip, it was me who made a honeymoon out of it. No, I’m not mad I’m glad you booked it. I like your surprise.”  
“Glad you do. I promise it was the last time I planned a trip for us without your permission.”  
“Maybe it’s a good thing. You plan one trip, I plan the next one. This way we can surprise each other with holiday destinations. I’m sure you pick only the best for us.”  
“Are you serious?” Okay, it was only a trip but they didn’t have so many holidays and when Sara trusted her to plan her most precious days of the year, it was a great deal of trust.   
“Yes.”  
“I like this idea and I’m sure no matter you pick as our next destination it will be great. We will be together, it has to be great.”  
“With you, every place is the perfect place.”   
“Gosh Sara, I love you so much.” Sofia pulled her lover, no fiancé, in her arms and kissed she. Enough words, she didn’t want to talk anymore, she wanted Sara’s lips doing other things. She wanted to kiss her, feel her, celebrate with her. 

Crystal clear water, deep blue sky, no clouds, sunshine, endless white beach and a fresh breeze. The perfect place for a holiday, the perfect place to get married, for your honeymoon. Sofia and Sara were literally in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, there was nothing than a slightly bigger island, that had a little airport and a dozen little island around. The perfect getaway when you were after long beaches on the beach and don’t want to see other people around.   
“This is paradise.” Sara smiled. Wherever Sofia this island had found, she was glad her lover did.   
“It certainly looks like paradise. Shall we stay here?”  
“Yes. My cell phone has no signal.” Satisfied she turned her cell phone off. Nobody could reach them, perfect.   
“That was part of the deal. No phone calls, no internet. If we want to contact somebody we have to come here to the big hotel. Our island has no internet, no telephone.”  
“Exactly what we wanted.”  
“Can I give you two lovely ladies a lift?” An elderly man came down the pier. “Destination White Heaven.”  
“That would be our destination.” Sofia answered.   
“Hop into the boat, it’s not big but it will get you over safely. My name is Skipper and I’m your skipper.”  
“What a coincidence. I’m Sofia, that’s Sara. We’re looking forward to these two weeks on White Heaven.”  
“Everybody does. Does one of you have a license for boats?”  
“No.”  
“Lucky you don’t need one. Pay attention, I’ll explain the most important things to you, the boat is your only connection to the main island where you get food, drinks and whatever else you might need for your stay. White Heaven is three miles away, not the best distance for a swim.”  
“Are here any sharks around?” As a surfer Sara was aware of sharks, was aware that she looked like a seal for them and preferred to know if there was any danger coming from them.   
“Honey, in water like this, warm and clear, you always find sharks. But there are plenty of fish around and in the thirty years I live here we never had a shark attack. Stay around your island, you have waves there, a place for snorkeling and swimming. No need to take the boat somewhere else and meet a shark.”  
“We don’t plan to meet a shark. Jellyfishes?”  
“No jellyfishes around. We have dolphins.”  
“Much better. What about the other islands?”  
“The closest other island to yours is half a mile away, all islands have only one hut, one boat and we tell people not to drive over to other islands. Our guests booked these islands because they want their privacy. If you feel like company come to the main island, we have a bar and club, you can meet other traveler there and when they agree, you can visit each other. But please don’t do it without an invitation. Like you wouldn’t do it at home.”  
“Okay.”  
“All I need is with me on the island.” Sara took Sofia’s hand. “Skipper, as a skipper can you wed people?”  
“Aye, that what a lot of people ask me. I can, I’m a justice of the peace, I can wed people but if you plan to marry the lady next to you, I can’t do that. It’s not legal here. No state would recognize it.”  
“We don’t care about the state, we care about the ceremony. A wedding on the beach, in the sunset, feet in water, exchanging rings. We’re aware of the fact that the is no legal wedding possibility for us, it’s more…for the feelings.”  
“Where are your best men? Your families?”  
“Our perfect wedding doesn’t include them. My mother didn’t get tired of threatening us not getting married without her, but the wedding is for us, not for her or anybody else. We want only the person who does the ceremony around.”  
“You have your rings?”  
“Yes.”   
“In that case, why don’t you settle yourself down, have a look around your island and when you find a spot you like for your wedding, you come to the main island tomorrow, let me know where and when you want to get married and we do that. It’s not the first wedding ceremony I do that has no legal rights, if this is your wish, we will make your wish come true. That’s why you booked this trip. Shall I bring a video camera? This way you have a DVD of your wedding and can show it to your family. They’ll be mad anyway but usually when you show a mother the wedding of her own daughter, she starts crying and forgets all anger.”  
“That’s a great idea. Sara?”  
“I’m in.” Maybe their dream became real, so far everything looked like in her dreams. They had passed four islands and all four looked great. There was one island left on their journey, it had to be their island.   
“One more thing.” Skipper said. “If you plan to go fishing, do yourself a favor and take the boat for it. The fish is better and bigger at the outer reef.”  
“I do like fish but I could never kill one, Sara is a vegetarian, we will shop at the main island. For today and tomorrow morning we have something.”  
“Good. As you live on an island you won’t get the maid service every day. Somebody will come to your hut every three days, if you don’t wish this service let the reception know the night before. And when you feel like some adventures, we offer parasailing twice a week, a flight over the island once a week and a day trip to another island fifty miles away. There’s all kind of water sport possible on the main island, there’s also a pool, sauna, gym and a doctor. Hopefully you won’t need him.”  
“I’m sure he’s a nice man but no, we don’t want to meet him.”  
“Okay. For any further questions get to the island.” Skipper stopped the boat next to another little boat. “This is your boat, it’s not fast, it’s not fancy and please don’t use it on your last day. I will pick you up, you can the boat here. You pull the string to start the engine and move the engine towards the direction you want to go. It needs petrol, there’s petrol behind your hut. In case your boat breaks down and you need help, see the flagpole?”  
“Yes.” Sofia said.  
“Leave the pirate flag on and nobody will come over, when you need help put up the white one, that’s on the ground. We have somebody checking the flags every half an hour, if he or she sees you need attention, somebody will be send to you ASAP. In case of an emergence there’s firework in the hut. Use it and the doctor will come ASAP.”  
“Okay. Thanks Skipper.”  
“You’re welcome. I hope you will enjoy your stay here and have a lovely time.”  
“We will. We’ll see you tomorrow for the wedding. The sunset in the background.”  
“That means it will be in the evening, I will be available. If you have any more questions, you know where to find me or somebody else who will help you. Welcome to White Heaven, ladies.”   
“Thanks.” They took their backpacks and jumped into the knee deep water. Finally on their island. Now their holiday could really begin. 

“I love you! I love you! I love you!” Sofia pulled Sara’s head down and kissed her. She was snorkeling while her lover sat on her surfboard, waiting for a good wave.   
“I love you too.”  
“Can we stay here? Please.”  
“I’d love to.”  
“Our house is great but this…this is heaven.”  
“White Heaven.”  
“The island deserves this name. Can you help me up?”  
“Wanna surf with me?”  
“No, I want to kiss you, hold you.”  
“Better.” Sara helped Sofia on the board, pulled her into her arms and kissed her. “Ever had sex on a surfboard?”  
“No. And I’m afraid we’d end up in the water pretty soon when we try. Or the main island police comes around and locks us in. Sex on the surfboard on the ocean is a little bit too public.”  
“Could be nice, we should try it in the little bay of our island. After all, this is our honeymoon we’re supposed to have sex everywhere.”  
“We definitely will have sex on the beach tomorrow night. Until then….fin! Fin! Fin!” Sofia’s voice changed from happy to panic.   
Sara turned, afraid to see the fin of a shark coming straight up to them. They were around fifty yards away from the beach, barely any waves, not the best condition to win a race with a shark.   
“It’s a dolphin, look at the dorsal fin, it is curved and streamlined.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“Yes.” She had spent a lot of time recognizing the difference between a dolphin’s and a shark’s fin from a distance. For a surfer this was a very important difference.   
“Okay.” Nevertheless Sofia’s hands dug into Sara’s body until a few yards away the head of the dolphin popped out and it looked at them.   
“Flipper.”   
“Told you so. Skipper said here are dolphin but no sharks. Or they don’t attack.”  
“Better safe than sorry. Hello friendly dolphin, who are you? Are you here to welcome us?”  
The dolphin swam closer but always stayed a yard or two away.   
“Do you think I can get into the water?”  
“You don’t look like a huge tuna, you should be fine.” Sara smiled.   
“I always wanted to swim with a dolphin.” Slowly and carefully Sofia slipped off the board and into the water. With one hand she held on to Sara’s hand before she let go and swam parallel to the dolphin away from the board.   
“I swim with a dolphin!” Sofia put on her snorkeling mask and dove. Maybe she could get the dolphin to play with her. With joy Sofia realized the dolphin followed her a bit, swam around her.   
“Wow! Wow! Wow!”   
“Smile.” Sara took a photo of Sofia and the dolphin. Luckily she took her waterproofed cam with her.   
“Come into the water, the sea is calm, the board won’t drift away.”  
“Tell me about it, I waited half an hour for a wave that never came.”  
“We got something better, we’ve got a dolphin around.”  
“Your personal shark.”  
“Don’t tease me, I was scared to death. How am I supposed to know that this fin belongs to a dolphin and not a shark? I’m not a surfer, I play volleyball.”  
“Sorry to tell you but if it had been a shark there was no way for us to escape before it got us. We don’t swim this fast.”  
“We have a dolphin around, it will take care of us. They do such things, don’t they?”  
“I read a few times about dolphins that saved surfer or swimmer, yes. Look, it comes closer.”  
“Do you think I can touch it?”  
“I’m not sure if that’s a good idea but if you want to try, don’t touch the little hole on the nose, only the front.”  
Sofia laid her hand on the water surface and waited for the dolphin to come closer. “Come on, Cutie, let me pet you please. I promise I’ll be gentle and won’t hurt you. And I won’t eat tuna anymore because you like it and I’ve enough other things to eat.”  
“What he or she really like about your statement is that no other dolphin has to die because of you. So many get caught in the net, die and get thrown back into the ocean.”  
“Okay, no more tuna. My fiancé, Fin, is a vegetarian and she doesn’t eat your food nor does she eat any other animal. I wish I could be as good as she is but I like steaks too much. Am I a bad person? A human shark? I’m sorry I can’t be a Dorie.”  
“Honey, your dolphin eats tuna, a tuna is a fish.”  
“Right. So you understand me. That’s good.” Sofia watched the friendly eyes of the dolphin that swam around them before it dove.   
“Hey, don’t leave us. Please.”  
“We’re not that exciting, Sofia.”  
“Probably. Shall we get back to the shore? You won’t get a wave, I saw a dolphin, that can’t be topped and there’s a little hunger coming up.”  
“You can be my wave. I get on my surfboard and you push me to the shore.”  
“Will you stand while I do that?”  
“I can try. When I fall you have to rescue me.”  
“It will be my please to do mouth on mouth.”  
“Why don’t you try it here and now before we have an emergency?”  
“Good idea.” Sofia pulled Sara in her arms and kissed her. Kissing her fiancé in the ocean was something she didn’t do every day. And while they shared a long kiss the dolphin jumped out of the water and over them. Like he liked what he saw. 

“If there is a devil he has to live here.” Sofia stepped into the shower and kissed Sara’s neck. “There is no other explanation why he puts the sin in front of my eyes all the time. Nobody can expect me to stay away when you are under the shower and I see that.” Her hands found the lotion and she started to apply it all over Sara’s body.   
“I’m the sin?”  
“You must be. You’re beautiful, you’re a temptation and whenever I see you, I want to rip off your clothes and make love with you. As we’re not married – yet – and two women, it’s a sin. You made me a sinner, Sara and I love every second of it. And every inch of you.”  
“Less than ten minutes ago you loved every inch of me already. Can you never get enough?”  
“No.”  
“Good.” Sara turned and pulled Sofia in her arms, her lips crashing on the lips of the other woman. “I didn’t have you in the shower so far.”  
“Why did you go in here without me?”  
“I like it when you surprise me in the shower.”  
“Really?”  
“Yes.” Sinking her finger in Sofia’s ass Sara pressed her closer and closer.   
Angling her right leg Sofia got Sara’s left leg between her own, her left hand finding the harden nipple of her lover while she kept her balance with her right arm around Sara. Was it the place? The hut? The fact that they got married today? It seemed to be impossible for both of them to stay away from the other one. Most times of the night they made love, barely slept and the first thing in the morning they did was continuing this.   
“Can you be my breakfast, Sofia?”  
“Only if you will be my lunch.”  
“Lunch? That’s an awful lot of time between breakfast and lunch, what about a snack? And brunch?”  
“You’re right…oooh…” Sofia moaned when Sara’s lips cupped her nipple and softly sucked it. The world started spinning. All these sensations.   
“I love the taste of you.”  
“You love to have control over me.”  
“That too.” Sara’s lips went back up to Sofia’s throat and she sucked the soft skin here. There would be a mark, she was aware of it and she didn’t care at all. The next two weeks they could have love bites all over their body and nobody cared.   
“You know what I like?”  
“What?”  
“This.” Sofia let two finger slipped into Sara and immediately the darker brunette buckled into Sofia’s hand and lost control.   
“I like to take away your control. Like to have you helpless in my arms and make you do all the things I want you to do.”  
“You’re cold.”  
“Do I feel cold?”  
“No, you feel…hot…and wet.” Sara’s fingers slipped into Sofia.   
“Oh gooo…” Sofia’s lips sucked Sara’s skin on her shoulder blades. When her hands lost control this was the only way she could hold on to Sara. At least that was what Sofia hoped. Right now it felt like her whole body did whatever it wanted and Sofia had lost all control. Again. 

“Okay, now we have to stay dressed for a little while – do you think we can manage that?” Sara asked when they got onto the boat.   
“It will be difficult…we haven’t christening the boat yet.”  
“True…but if we want to get married we have to leave the island and talk to Skipper.”  
“We need to stay dressed while we get married…what shall we wear?”  
“The white bikinis? We are supposed to wear white.”  
“True. I look forward to see what happens to the white bikini after the wedding, when I push you into the water.”  
“Again sex in the waves? We should wait until we’re alone on our island again.”  
“So many hours…maybe a drive-through wedding in Vegas will do it too.”  
“No! This is your dream, we make your dream come true.” Sofia said, starting the engine.   
“My dream? What is your dream?”  
“Having you as my wife, no matter where. But I’ve to say I really like the area here and want you to marry me here. Today. No more delays.”  
“When did we have a delay?”  
“Since we met and wasted all the time with not being together, not being married.”  
“I love you.” Sara sighed and looked happily at her lover. So many times she had been sure her life couldn’t get better and at the moment she got proved wrong because every day got better and better.   
“You won’t make me turn the boat with your puppy eyes.”  
“I know how I can make you turn the boat.” Sara smirked coy. “One kiss, one well placed kiss, and you will turn the boat and get us back to our island.”  
“Yes.” Why deny something obvious?  
“I won’t do it. We need Skipper to wed us. Will we get married again?”  
“As soon as there’s a legal way for a marriage I’ll pop the question. You did it this time, next time it’s my turn.”  
“With another honeymoon?”  
“One you book.”  
“Maybe I book us a house in the mountains, surrounded by snow, so we can’t do anything else than staying in there.”  
“Will we tell about anybody about our second wedding? Or will we make ourselves again very unpopular?”  
“If we need somebody to be there we have no other choice. Otherwise…lets wait what your parents will say about our wedding today.”  
“We tell them, my mom will slam down the phone and goes straight into the next plane to kick our asses within the next twelve hours.”  
“Sounds like fun. Sure you want to do this without her?”  
“Very sure. I won’t wait any longer, I thought I made myself clear.”  
“Just checking.”  
“You won’t get out of this, Sara.”  
“Sofia, I don’t want to get out of this. I want you. I want you to be my wife before the end of sunset.”  
“That is exactly what will happen.” Sofia said with dreamy eyes. Her wedding with Sara was so close. And so far there had never been a second of doubting what they were about to do. It was right, it felt right.   
They tied the boat to the pier at the main island and walked hand in hand to the hotel.   
“Hey Ladies, are you looking for a skipper?” Skipper called from behind them.   
“Yes.” Sara answered. “We want to ask you to come tonight and wed us. We haven’t changed our mind.”  
“I didn’t expect you to change your mind. Did you find a nice spot?”  
“The whole island is a nice spot. We take the little bay on the west side, this way we have the sunset next to us.”  
“A perfect spot.”  
“I get married to the perfect woman.”  
“Sara, I think Sofia says the same about you. All right, I’ll be on your island at nine, we set the camera and start when the sun is deep enough. Do you need music?”  
“The only I think I want to hear is Sofia saying “I do”, nothing else.”  
Skipper smiled. “You surely will hear that. I see you two love birds later.”  
“Thanks.”   
“Thanks Skipper, see you later.” Sofia embraced Sara. “You are so sweet when you slobber over me. Makes my heart jumps all the time.”  
“That what do you with my heart. We’re even.” Sara kissed Sofia. “Shall we go shopping? We need some food and drinks for the next days. Something special for tonight.”  
“The thing I want most for tonight is right in my arms.” Who needed food or drinks when Sara was around?

Not that she would admit it but Sara was nervous. Skipper was building up the camera, Sofia checked the sound and looked – stunning. Only a few more minutes and their ceremony would start. Only a few minutes away from their wedding. Okay, it wasn’t a real wedding, they had no legal or tax benefit from it, it was for them.   
So beautiful. This simple white bikini her fiancé wore was nothing fancy and yet it made Sofia more beautiful than she was anyway. Her brown hair – Sara wasn’t sure if she liked the blonde or brown hair more. A week ago Sofia asked her if she should go back to blonde for their wedding, which color Sara preferred. Both. It was Sofia, she could be bald and be the most beautiful woman Sara ever met.   
“Are you dreaming?” Sweet softly lips got her out of her day dream.  
“Yes, of you. I admired your beauty and thought that I’m the luckiest woman on this planet.”  
“No cold feet?”  
“I’m nervous, but I don’t want to run if you mean that. What about you? Scared of the commitment you’re about to make?”  
“No, anxious to start so I can be your wife finally. The goof thing is we told nobody about the wedding, we’re on our own island, there shouldn’t be anybody coming up and telling me, I can’t marry you for whatever reason.”  
“If somebody makes the decision we can’t get married it’s me and not somebody else.”  
“You know how in movies when they stand in the church out of the blue somebody comes up and ruins the wedding.”  
“Won’t happen, you have to marry me.”  
“I want to marry you.”  
Sara kissed her. “I love you…we’re so awful kitschy and soppy since we’re here. If I had to watch us I’d feel sick to my guts. All these love talks, kisses and sticking together like we are one person instead of two.”  
“In our hearts we are one person.” Sofia put Sara’s hand on her heart. “Our hearts connect us.” She smiled. “But you’re right we’re horrible, like we are caught in a chick flick. This has to stop when we’re back home, the guys already make jokes of me being a love fool, if they see me like this, they’ll never take me serious again.”  
“Not to mention all the bad guys.”  
“Yes. No more I love you, kissing and holding hands when we’re back…not even I believe the bullshit I just said.”  
“Good. I like us being like this – when we’re not at work.”  
“So we make the deal the sloppy stuff is for private time and when we’re on duty we’re the tough ladies?”  
“That’s deal.”  
“Perfect. Now my future wife, why don’t we get in position for our own wedding? I gave our rings to Skipper, he sat up the camera, sound is running, we can start.”  
“Okay.” Sara took a deep breath. Her hand linked with Sofia’s they went to Skipper. “Ready when you are, Skipper.”  
“No more second thoughts?”  
“There were never second thoughts.”   
“Even better. Do you want the whole ceremony? With me making up stories about you or only the important part?”  
“The important part.” Sofia answered. “We won’t waste yours and our time.”  
“Shall we ask your guest if that’s okay?”  
“Which guest? We didn’t invite anybody.” Sara turned around scared. Could it be that Sofia’s mother found out what they were about to do and was here? Were they in huge trouble before they had a change to get married? She couldn’t see anybody, which slowed her pulse down a bit.   
“Him!” Skipper pointed to the ocean.  
“Fin!” This time Sofia’s voice was full of joy when she said the word. “Look, he came here to watch us.”  
“Looks like. He’s welcome, our little shark.”  
“When we were in the water yesterday I suddenly saw a fin and thought it’s a shark. But it was him and he stayed around a little bit, swam with us. Does he belong to the islands?”  
“He belongs to the ocean but he comes here every day and looks what the people are doing. Maybe he felt like watching a wedding today.”  
“Our best man. Now we’re really ready.”  
“Then I won’t let you wait any longer. We gathered here together to celebrate the wedding of Sofia and Sara. Sara, do you want Sofia as your wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?”  
“Yes. I will.”  
“Sofia, do you want Sara as your wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?”  
“Absolutely. I mean, I will.”  
Skipper smirked and got the rings out of his pocket, handed the first one to Sofia. “You may repeat my words to Sara: I Sofia take thee Sara to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.”  
“I Sofia take thee Sara to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.” Carefully and rapidly blinking because her eyes began to fill up with tears Sofia took the ring and put it over Sara’s finger, unable to keep her eyes of her.   
“Sara, you may repeat my words to Sofia: I Sara take thee Sofia to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.”  
“I Sara take thee Sofia to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.”  
Swallowing harder with every word to keep her voice as steady and clear as possible Sara was glad when she could take the ring and put it over Sofia’s finger.   
“I now pronounce you wife and wife. You shall kiss the bride.”  
“The best part of it.” Sara mumbled, pulled Sofia in her arms and kissed her softly. They did it. They got married. Their dream wedding became reality.   
“I love you.”  
“I love you too, my wife.” Sofia closed her eyes again. If this was a dream she never wanted to wake up. “Was it like you wanted it to be?”  
“No. It was better.” Sara smiled. “It was perfect. And look, the sun is halfway in the water.”  
“Yeah, the perfect light. Where’s our guest?”  
Like the dolphin had heard Sofia asking for it, it jumped out of the water, doing two summersaults and a few more jumps.   
“Oh, he got us a presents, that was really nice.”  
“It was. Especially because it wasn’t a trick you see in a circus.”  
“I caught the dolphin for you on camera.” Skipper said. “Congratulations to your wedding. I hope you will be happy for the rest of our lives.”  
“Thanks. And thanks for wedding us. Even when it wasn’t a legal wedding.”  
“A wedding is to connect two people who love each other. You don’t love somebody more because the law agrees on your commitment, on your love. A working and happy marriage is up to you, not to anybody else.”  
“True.” Sara took Sofia’s hand. Who cared what other people said about their love? They loved each other and that was the only things that was important. 

“How did you sleep, Misses Sidle?”  
“Very good. And you, Misses Curtis?”   
“Awesome.” Sofia smiled. She was a Misses now, not a Miss anymore. Well, not legally but who cared about that? She had married Sara yesterday, she was a Misses. In her world it was a real wedding, with real commitments and real promises that gave her the right to call herself a Misses.   
They slept on the beach, on a towel under a thin blanket, the stars above and the sound of the ocean only a few yards away. Something special for their first night as a married couple. At one point Sofia was sure she heard the dolphin. It was nice to have him as a company.   
“What do you want to do on your first day as my wife, Sofia? Any special wishes?”  
“I want to be with you.”  
“We’re married, you have to be with me for the rest of your life. Do you feel threaten already?”  
“I feel like I was promised something really nice. What would you like to do, my lovely wife Sara?”  
“I want some action.”  
“What kind of action?”  
“This kind of action that makes you wear a bikini, gets you tied to a rope and pulled through the air by a boat; parasailing. They offer it today and I’d like to try it with you.” They talked about parasailing a few times in Honolulu, it was offered there as well.   
“Will we be together in the air?”  
“I’ve no idea if they offer it for one or two people. Why? Are you scared alone? Does the brave lieutenant have to hold my hand?”  
“Are you making fun of your wife?”  
“Yes.” Sara pulled in her arms and kissed her. “I won’t stop teasing you, a marriage doesn’t mean you have to stop teasing your wife.”  
“We need a marriage contract, I let that write down in it.”  
“I won’t sign it.”  
“It’s part of our wedding.”  
“No, it’s not. Parasailing?”  
“Parasailing and water ski. Plus I want us to rent a jet ski.”  
“Good idea. I make you eat my salty water…drink my salty water.”  
“You’ve quite a big mouth, young Misses.”  
“You like my mouth – especially on your mouth.”   
“And anywhere else on me. Shall I use the computer and send my mother a mail that we got married? She has twelve days then to get used to the idea, to blow off some steam before she can reach us again.”  
“Does she know where we are?”  
“I told her we’re on an island in the Pacific.”  
“The Pacific is big, you can tell her. But when we come home and she stands in front of our door like a revenge angel don’t count on me saving you. I’ll run as fast I can and hide. She’s your mother, you have to get through her anger all by yourself.”  
“Didn’t you promise to be with me in bad times?”  
“Your mother isn’t a bad time, she’s her own bureau.”  
“Less than twenty-four hours and you leave me alone.” Sofia laughed. “Sooner or later we have to tell her and I prefer to let her have some days to get used to the news before I have to talk to her. She and dad will come over to Honolulu soon after they heard the news, so will Greg. We’ll survive them and when we promise them invitations to our legal wedding they will let us live.”  
“Hopefully. What first?”  
“First an email, than parasailing and lunch before we change to jet ski and safe the water ski for another day?”  
“Okay. So many activities, didn’t we plan to stay on our island the whole time?”  
“We did. But when you’re married you don’t have sex anymore and only sit around and read. I prefer some more action in my holidays.”  
“Your honeymoon.”  
“That was what I meant.” Sofia grinned. Sara wasn’t the only one who could tease. 

“I’m aware that our marriage won’t be like this forever but when we can save some of our honeymoon spirit for our life back home it would be great.” Sara lay on her back on the water and watched a little white cloud passing by without inferring with the sunshine.   
“We need to make sure there won’t be a boring all day life, if we try to involve little surprises in our life we should be fine. I plan to surprise you every now and then with something. A dinner at the beach, a little trip up the mountains, your favorite movies for a night on the sofa.” Sofia lay on the surfboard, amazed how her girlfriend, no wife!, managed to lie flat on the surface of the water.   
“Most couples only celebrate their annual anniversary, we can celebrate our monthly anniversary. It doesn’t have to be flashy, something nice and quiet, like you said, an evening on the couch with our favorite movies. Re-watching our wedding.”  
“Looking at the photos of our trip, a little trip to one of the other islands. I’d like to see an active volcano.”  
“From a distance!”  
“Of course. You won’t become a widow.”  
“Good.” Sofia played with Sara’s hair. “I wonder if my mother has read our message yet.”  
“I haven’t seen smoke coming from the north east, she must be still at work.”  
“Smoke? Did you just refer to your mother-in-law as a dragon?”  
“Weren’t you the one who handed me the phone with the words: You’re dragon-in-law is on the phone?” Sara answered sweetly.   
“Maybe…oh God, she’ll be so mad. She told us so often not to get married here, without her, threatened us and…made us do exactly this.”  
“Yes.”  
“She knew it. She knew when we flew we’ll get married. She knew it before we sent her the mail. Probably she’s on her way to here and we’ll smell the smoke on our back very soon.”  
“She’s not supposed to come to our island without an invitation. Then again it’s your mother, she won’t care about this. We’re in trouble, Sofia.”  
“In a lot of trouble.”   
“Our first big test as a couple and when…” Sara’s sentence was ended by her swallowing water. Something had hit her from beneath, scared her and made her lose her relaxed position above water.   
“What the…oh our dolphin.”   
Like it was laughing at Sara the dolphin looked at her, mouth open, nodding the head.   
“Fin! Sofia slipped from the surf board. “You’re back to say hello, what a nice surprise. How are you?” As an answer the dolphin spilled some water in Sofia’s face. “Oh wait, that means revenge!” She spilled water at the dolphin, duck and started diving.   
“Now the kids are playing again.” Sara grinned, put on her snorkeling mask and followed Sofia, who was without a mask and came up quite fast. When she got her mask and camera and got down again, she watched Sara and the dolphin diving side by side. It was smart that they took their camera everywhere they went. You never knew when you had the perfect chance for a photo and this was the perfect moment for a lot of photos and a little movie.   
“He plays with us, he must like us.” Sofia gasped for air.   
“Who couldn’t like you?” Sara climbed on the surfboard.  
“What are you doing?”  
“Getting a prime view on our dolphin and I wonder what it does with me up here.”  
“Whatever it will be I save it for later.” Sofia pointed the camera on Sara and started the movie. If nothing happened she had a movie of her wife on the surfboard, which wasn’t bad either.   
“Fin is right behind you, be careful he might poke you like he did it with me.”  
“Do we know if Fin is a he?”  
“No, we assume it because he is cheeky, follows us and…no wait, men aren’t usually happy about weddings. Fin must be a she. Sorry lady.”  
“A nice lady, that makes three beautiful ladies at one spot. Where are you…oh wow!” Sofia had to concentrate to get the scene in front of her eyes on film: Fin jumped out of the water over Sara and was only a few seconds later back to repeat that. The second time she touched Sara a little bit so that the brunette lost her balance and fell into the water. Both heads appeared only a few moments later.   
“Are you all right?”  
“Yes. You poked me, young lady! That wasn’t nice.”  
A sound like laughter showed Sara what Fin thought about the incident.   
“Are you laughing at me?”  
“No, with you. I got that as a film, it will be awesome and we can take some screen shots as photos. A poster of you on the board and Fin jumping over you in the living room.”  
“What about our wedding photo? Didn’t you want that one in the living room?”  
“There are four walls, we can have them both.”  
“We need a photo of you too.”  
“Take the one where I’m parasailing, makes me look tough.”  
“Always making sure she’s wonder woman.”  
“Of course.” Sofia pulled Sara in her arms and kissed her. “And when you kiss me I feel invincible.”  
“Wonder woman is invincible. You know what I thought of last night?”  
“Me?”  
“Yeah, about you too.” Sara laughed. “And about the island. I’d like to come back here. The first stay will always be something special because we got married here but I’d like to come back. It’s quiet, we have an island for ourselves and when we feel like being active we can do it or we just relax on the beach.”  
“There are so many beautiful place we can go to but you’re right, this one is special. I’d like to go back here with you. You never know, maybe Skipper will wed us again. Getting the second, third or fourth time is in at the moment.”  
“Isn’t it trend to marry somebody else when you get married again?”  
“No, when you want to be very romantic you marry your wife again.”  
“I liked our wedding, I love you, so there are no reasons why I shouldn’t marry you again.” Sara smiled.   
“Sounds like we have a date for next year. Same time, same place?”  
“Yes.” Sara wanted to pull Sofia back in her arms but from beneath the came a long grayish nose up and pushed them apart.   
“Hey Fin, you’re really cheeky today. That’s my wife, as you know after you witnessed our wedding yesterday.” Sofia chuckled.   
“She isn’t shy at all. You get between Sofia and me, very dangerous, but you’re so beautiful I let you get away with it. This time.”  
“I hope she’s the only one who is allowed to get between us.” Sofia stroke softly over Fin’s skin before the dolphin turned and swam away.   
“Yes. No human is allowed to get between us. Not even your mother.”  
“The dragon-in-law.” Sofia pulled Sara in her arms and kissed she. No, nobody would ever get between them.


End file.
